Containing Thy Self
by ShayL
Summary: After an accidental mishap with the time machine, Mirai Trunks, age 22, finds himself trapped in the time where Trunks is 18. What should be a pleasant bonding experience turns into a battle of jealously, hatred, obsession, and fear.
1. Full Summary and Prologue

**NOTE: MAJOR CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE!! PLEASE READ!!**

I've been rethinking about this fanfiction and its original idea, and have recently thought of a stronger, more interesting plot. The general set-up of this is pretty much the same, but the ending (which you obviously haven't read yet, haha) is drastically different from what I initially thought… like over a year ago, lol.

Therefore, the first few chapters are going to be rewritten and while it's not absolutely necessary, I would highly recommend rereading them because ONE, they'll be written slightly differently, TWO, they'll be written MUCH better than before and THREE, they'll be a little bit LONGER!! Those are pluses, right?

Again, this first "chapter" contains the extended summary along with a prologue, so please read at least this chapter, if you really don't feel like reading the next few again.

**Full Summary**

Mirai Trunks (will be referred to as 'Mirai' throughout the story) finally defeats the androids and first-form Cell in his own timeline and returns to the past one last time to share the good news. Unfortunately, due to an accidental move, Mirai finds himself in the wrong time period, when his present self is no longer a baby, but an 18-year-old!

Because of the mishap, Mirai is forced to 'stick around and enjoy the show' while present-day Bulma fixes (Mirai's mishap caused technical difficulties in the engine) and recharge his machine. While he is generally accepted pretty easily, the time traveler finds himself dealing with some self-identity issues with his present-day look-alike (who will be referred to as just 'Trunks'). Trunks initially feels apprehensive and slightly threatened by Mirai's presence, fearing that the time traveler will make himself seem weak and useless or even take his place! Eventually, he will learn to trust his older counterpart, almost to the point of some sort of obsessive fascination.

While he tries to help Trunks understand how to be oneself, Mirai discovers some personal troubles of his own that could eventually lead to deadly results. Will he be able to figure out how to stop himself, and also prevent Trunks, from going down the destructive path he had unintentionally created or will he suffer through to the end, losing all hope?

Warnings: Violence in fighting, occasional heavy language use, strong relationships between boys (not really "yaoi", but rather strong friendship that will occasionally border onto shounen-ai, if that makes sense, haha)

Reasons for Title: There can actually be a few different reasons for it, but the main idea you will find out about later in the story (of course, I'll explain in the end).

Disclaimer: This applies to the entire story. I do not own Dragonball Z or any related material connected to Dragonball Z. All ownerships belong to its respected companies (Toei, Funimation, etc), along with Akira Toriyama, the creator of the Dragonball Z comic.

Random Note: Mirai will have the long-haired, ponytail style that he obtained when he came out of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber the first time with his father. One, to differentiate between him and Trunks easily. Two, because he looks good like that.

Also, even though Mirai will be referred to as Mirai during the story, he WILL be called Trunks when SPOKEN to or about (since no one really calls him Mirai, considering its not even a name, but a description to differentiate the two Trunks), so make sure to pay attention to which Trunks is being talked about during spoken lines.

* * *

**Containing Thy Self**- Prologue 

_Future Time- An unknown destroyed city- 12:52 PM_

It only took one shot. One shot to completely destroy him. One shot for it all to be over and done with.

Lowering his arms, the young warrior powered down, his hair returning to its natural purple color. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, tilting his head upwards to face the clear, blue sky.

He smiled and closed his eyes. "At last, it's finished. Thanks Goku… everyone…"

Multiple images flashed quickly in his mind like a slideshow. Images from his past, images from his adventure and images of the possible future. One picture, a face, remained a little longer, allowing the long-haired man to examine briefly.

"Gohan..." he uttered, remembering his master from so long ago, "... I did it. Are you proud of me Gohan?" Furrowing his brows for a moment, Mirai slowly open his eyes once more. "I wish you were here to see how strong I've become... I wish you were still alive... with me."

Shaking his head, making the vision disappear, the warrior took one last glance at his surroundings, finding nothing but rubble, and returned to the Capsule Corps.

_Future Time- Capsule Corps- kitchen- 1:17 PM_

An older woman, blue hair with touches of gray in the roots, sighed for the fifth time in the last hour as she glanced at the clock once more. Seated at the wooden table, one arm propped on the surface, leaning her face in the palm of her hand, Bulma frowned, worrying about the condition of her son.

"Trunks… where are you?"

As if Kami heard her, the man of her distress walks in calmly, unfortunately causing Bulma to jump, nearly tripping over her own chair if her son hadn't caught her.

"Mother, be careful-" The long-haired warrior began to lecture, but was cut off by the older woman throwing her arms around his neck, squeezing with all her strength.

"Oh Trunks, I was so worried!" She cried, tightening her hold. "I knew you would be fine, but I really couldn't help but be anxious!"

Smiling, he wrapped his arms around her small frame gently, leaning his head against her's. "It's okay, it's all over."

"That's good to hear." She replied quietly, stroking her son's hair. "I can't believe you let it grow out. It's looks good, but I didn't know you were into long hair."

Releasing his hold and taking a step back, Trunks pinched a long piece in the front, examining it. "I'm not, really. I don't know… it just seemed… appropriate or something, I guess." Letting it go, he smirked. "I'm trying to look tough. Is it working?"

"Very much so." The older woman giggled, flicking a few strands in his face. "Now I think you know what you have to do. One last thing, one last trip."

He nodded, face turning grim. "Right, I will do that right now."

"Don't look so thrilled about it!" She teased, punching him in the arm, even though she knew he would barely feel it. "Now get out of here and don't come back until you tell everyone!"

"Aye, aye, I know when I'm welcome here." He mockingly saluted her, and then turned to walk outside the door. "I'll be back soon!" And with that said, the young warrior leapt into the air to make his way towards the time machine's location.

Bulma waved slowly, and then placed her hands together against her chest, wincing in pain. Taking a deep breath, she took one last look towards the door. "Be careful."

_Future Time- Location of Time Machine- 1:54 PM_

The purple-haired man landed softly, grass crunching under his boots. Taking one last look in the direction of Capsule Corps, he frowned, eyebrows drawing together harshly. Biting his lip, he forced himself to get inside the machine, ignoring the uneasy notion swirling in his stomach.

"Well, here goes one more trip and hopefully, the last one."

Fiddling expertly with the switches, glass shield sliding shut over his head, the young man adjusted the proper setting. With a soft, yellow glow surrounding the mechanism, Trunks felt himself being raised in the air.

Unfortunately, a plane flew by, too close for comfort, causing the warrior to jump and hit his arm against the dashboard. He heard something click, which he snapped his head towards, blinking in confusion.

"Wait… the time…?"

And then the machine flickered, disappearing from sight.

* * *

Phew, I think that was written much better than the original prologue, so hopefully you guys liked that. The next few chapters will be rewritten, as stated above, for both personal and plot reasons, ha ha. Just so you know, a new chapter will probably not be out until I finish through the rewrites, so bare with me!! Thank you for your patience! 


	2. Chapter 1 REWRITE

**CHAPTER ONE REWRITE! **

Note: I am using the scenes shown in the end of DBZ. More specifically, episode 188, "Granddaughter Pan". But the dialogue is obviously different, for I haven't seen those episodes since they played on TV (which was like, how long ago?) and obviously, events are to be changed. Forgive me if this bothers you.

In other news, here is the freshly, newly-rewritten first chapter! Enjoy!

* * *

**Containing Thy Self**- Chapter One

_Present Time- Somewhere in the Sky- 4:38 PM_

A circular, silver aerial pod, with a glass hood, soared steadily through the air, with the words **Capsule Corporation** printed along the side. One passenger, with short, lavender hair, was seated inside, hands gripping the controls.

Humming tunelessly along with the low buzz floating out of the speakers, he made a smooth, effortless turn towards a large vicinity of large, grassy hills.

"I wonder what Goten is up to today." Pressing the lever forward, he increased his speed once a small group of familiar homes came into sight

_Elsewhere, Exact Location Unknown- Same Time_

With an abrupt flash and slight waver, the dome-shaped time machine materialized, landing unusually rough on the rocky terrain. Clicking a few switches, Mirai opened the glass cover, jumping out of the mechanism. Landing with a soft tap, the warrior glanced around, a troubled look appearing on his handsome face.

"This… does not feel right." He muttered, scanning the unfamiliar area with a perturbed feeling growing. Growling, he stamped the ground, fists clenched tightly. "Damn it, I knew something went wrong when that blasted plane flew by!"

Hastily, he opened his capsule box that he pulled out of his jacket pocket, grabbing the larger one. Clicking the top, he tossed the device brusquely towards the machine, watching as smoke appeared, shrinking it into the container. He caught it before it clattered on the ground, repackaging it back in the box, which was returned to his pocket.

Taking a deep breath, the long-haired man readjusted his sword strap, feeling the accustomed weight on his back, which he kept for memories' sake. "Guess I'll go find mother and get some help." Levitating off the ground, he quickly shot into the air in search of the Capsule Corporation.

_Son Household- 5:06 PM_

Waving goodbye to Gohan and Videl, Trunks swiftly flew to where his best friend was to be located. Easily catching sense of his ki, the short-haired boy spotted Goten, along with his father Goku, standing in a grassy field that was just ahead. Flaring his energy so they were aware of his arrival, the teenager landed beside the black-haired boy gracefully.

"Yo Trunks, what's happening?" Goten called out cheerily, despite his heavy breathing. "Come to take my place?"

The lavender-haired boy chuckled, crossing his arms with a smirk forming. "Nah, I think I rather watch you get beat up like always."

The younger boy scowled, pursing his lips. "Gee, thanks, I'm glad to have friends like you around."

"C'mon Goten, it's not that bad!" Goku cried out, a pout forming on his surprisingly young-looking face, in spite of his age. "I thought you liked training with me!" Slapping his son on the back, somehow catching him off-guard, the boy stumbled from the strength, falling face-down in the grass.

The black-haired teenager pushed himself up, about to say something, if he weren't interrupted by a sudden arrival of an aerial ship landing close by.

_Somewhere above West City-_ _Same Time_

Mirai halted in the air, frowning in puzzlement.

"Wait, it seems like that mother has left, so where did she…?" Closing his eyes, he allowed numerous faint touches of energy flow through him, none of which he was searching for.

Then he was hit by several impressively larger ones at once. "Ah! They're all together! I hope nothing bad is happening." Shifting himself so he was facing a more desolated area in the distance, he sped hurriedly towards the sought-out spot.

_Grassy Field- 5:23 PM_

"Wow, Bulma, is that you?!" Goku cried out, shock written all over his face. "I haven't seen you forever! You too, Vegeta!"

"A long time? GOKU! Do you know how long it has been since I've seen you? TEN YEARS!" Bulma shrieked, stalking up to her oldest best friend, anger clearly flowing off of her. "You never called! Never wrote! Never visited! Nothing!"

"Ten years, huh? Wow, time does fly by pretty fast." He dumbly responded, crossing his arms as he frowned; only infuriating the woman even more.

"You're horrible!" The older woman yelled, pointing an accusing finger in his face. "And you better damn well have a good excuse!

Blinking confusingly at the finger, Goku gulped. "An excuse? Umm... training, eating, training, sleeping, training Goten, training Pan, training myself, eating..." He listed, tapping a finger on his chin thoughtfully, which Goten and Trunks sweatdropped to in response.

"Ah ha! I knew it! All you do is train, isn't it? Well I'll have you know-eh? Pan?" Bulma blinked, unfamiliar with the name. "Who is Pan?"

"Ah, here she comes now." He said, turning around to look up in the sky. A tiny figure could just barely be seen, but was noticeably coming closer. Slowly, the form turned into a little girl with short, spiky black hair, landing right in front of Goku. "Grandpa! Was I faster this time?" She asked, clenching her fists perkily.

"Yeah! I think that was your fastest time yet!" He replied, beaming. "Guys, this is Pan, Gohan and Videl's kid. My granddaughter!"

"Ahh... so Gohan and Videl got together?" Bulma questioned the apparent fact, staring at the little girl in front of her.

"Yep! Pan is five years old and she's really strong too." Goku continued, patting her on the head, clearly expressing fatherly pride. "And--" Cutting off abruptly, his face quickly draining of cheerfulness, perplexed over the unusual familiar presence that was approaching

Vegeta blinked, eyes flashing in disbelief as he hastily scanned the clear sky. "It… It can't be…?"

"But he's here… unless…?" Goku replied, eyes darting towards the lavender-haired boy standing next to his son. Trunks noticed this, features forming a questioning expression.

Bulma looked at the two older men, eyebrow quirked. "What are you two on about now?"

At the sound of grass being crunched underneath a pair of boots, everyone turned towards the presence, incredulity flashing on their visages.

Mirai skimmed his gaze at the various figures present, until he landed on an exact replica of himself, who was appeared to be stunned, but only at a much older age than the last time he saw him. "…damn it."

* * *

Whoo, first chapter rewritten and done! Only a few more! 


	3. Chapter 2 REWRITE

**CHAPTER TWO REWRITE!**

All disclaimers, notes, etc. apply. Please read Prologue for details.

* * *

**Containing Thy Self**- Chapter Two 

_Grassy Fields- 5:39 PM_

Swallowing uneasily, Mirai reached up to habitually brush some hair back behind his ear, only to have it fall forward. Quickly glancing at each individual present, the time traveler tried to focus his view elsewhere, off to the side. He cursed to himself for showing himself so openly in front of the wrong people, namely Goten and Trunks.

"Whoa…that guys looks exactly like Trunks!" Goten cried out, pointing at the newcomer, while looking back and forth between the look-alikes. "Trunks, I didn't know you had a twin!"

"I…. don't. He's not my twin." The short-haired teenager replied unusually calm, staring pointedly at his older version.

Bulma stepped forward, biting her bottom lip apprehensively. "Trunks? Trunks, is that you? From… the androids?" Taking another few steps forward so that she could touch his jacket sleeve, she gave it a light tug. "Did something else happen?"

Mirai refused to meet her gaze, jerking his arm out of her grasp, peculiarly rough. "No… I mean, sort of, but… I wasn't supposed to appear at this time." Taking a step back away from the older woman, the long-haired warrior crossed his arms defensively. "There was a mistake made… so that's why I'm here."

"As a mistake, do you mean a malfunction with your machine or something you did?" Vegeta questioned harshly as he eyed the purple-haired man warily.

Trunks glanced at his father skeptically.

The time traveling warrior winced at the tone, holding back a growl. "Both, if you must know. During the process, I was startled, causing me to accidentally hit the switch for the time, so Hope must've immediately registered the information. So, not only did I end up here inadvertently, I believe that the database for Hope needs readjusted due to the abrupt change it had to record right when I entered the space of time."

Bulma tilted her head, seemingly unaffected by Mirai's strange behavior. "So you can't travel back to your intended time or your own timeline?"

"No, I believe that it needs to be recharged as well because I fear that the change forced the machine to use up more energy than necessary at the exact moment I left."

The blue-haired woman frowned, pity showing in her large sapphire orbs. Shrugging, she waved her hands airily. "Well then, it looks like you don't have much of a choice but to stay with us until I check and recharge your machine."

Mirai stared at her incredulously. "No, I-I can't intrude-"

"Trunks! I don't care how old you are and what time you're from, you're my son and my son stays with me when he needs help!" She shouted, shoulders hunching in irritation. "Now don't argue with me, damn it!"

"Y-Yes." The long-haired man held up one arm as protection, ducking his head.

"Um… not that I'm trying to interrupt your moment or anything…" Goten cut in awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "But… did you just call that guy Trunks?"

Bulma gasped, a hand flying up to cover her mouth. "Oh Goten, I'm so sorry! Now this is going to sound weird, but it's all true." Holding out a hand towards Mirai, she beamed. "Yes, this is Trunks, but he's actually from an alternative time period. As you can see, this Trunks is a little older than our Trunks. We first met him a long time ago, about… wow, twenty years ago, when he defeated Frieza!"

Even though nobody saw, Vegeta quite visibly twitched, shifting his gaze elsewhere.

"Umm… Frieza? Oh yeah, Gohan told me stories about that evil lizard. Wow, you must be really old." The black-haired teenager responded dumbly, tilting his head in confusion while Trunks slapped his forehead in the background.

"Uhh…" Mirai blinked, gazing at the boy, noticing the similar features he had compared to Goku. "No, I'm only twenty-two."

"You defeated Frieza when you were two years old!?" The boy yelped, eyes widening in shock.

"W-Wait, what?!" The older man sweatdropped. "No, I was seventeen. I traveled back in time. In my machine… that I traveled in to get here… even though it wasn't deliberate."

"Ahh… yeah, that makes sense." Goten nodded, crossing his arms. "So… whoa, you were my age when you defeated Frieza?!"

"Ah… well, if you're seventeen, then yes, I was your age." Pausing, he scanned the boy head-to-toe. With a slight smirk, the older man let out a chuckle, catching everyone off-guard. "I'm sorry… but I can just really tell that you're Goku's son. Pleased to meet you Goten." Mirai held out a hand, smiling gently.

The black-haired beamed, all thoughts of there being two Trunks escaping his mind, as he returned the gesture. "Yeah, same here!"

"Oh, I suppose I'll tell you my original reason for traveling." Mirai spoke up again, now facing the younger version of his mother. "The androids and Cell have been defeated, so it's over now. I guess it's kind of meaningless at this point-"

"How can you say that's meaningless?!" Bulma, once again, cut him off rudely, slapping his arm. "Trunks, that's wonderful news. This means your future can be rebuilt, right?"

The long-haired warrior was silent, shifting his gaze to the ground. "I… guess so. I mean, the enemies have been defeated…"

"But this doesn't mean you can relax now!" Vegeta called out, taking a few steps forward to enter the group. "You're the sole fighter in your time, so don't even think about slacking off!"

"You think I don't know that?!" Mirai ruthlessly yelled back, causing his past mother to gasp, stumbling back from the force of anger she felt. "I've been training non-stop, every fucking day! Mother even built a gravity chamber for me to use, since there's obviously no one else there!"

Vegeta growled deeply. "Brat-"

"There's no one left?" A soft, girlish voice spoke up nearby, catching Mirai's attention as he faced the speaker, spotting young Pan standing close by.

He blinked, briefly wondering who she was. "Y-Yes, there's no one left."

"Oh." She pouted. "You must be lonely."

"Um… well, you get used to it after awhile."

"W-Well…" Pan spoke up, chewing her lip thoughtfully. "You can always come over here and play with us if you get too lonely!"

He was silent for a moment, and then he felt the corners of his mouth lifting. "Thank you, I will keep that in mind."

Bulma elbowed the younger full-blooded Saiyan in the side, whispering. "Goku, introduce her to him."

"Huh? Oh, right!" Placing his hands on the little girl's shoulder, the man beamed. "Trunks, this is Pan. She is Gohan and Videl's kid. Wait, you don't know Videl, but you'll meet her later, I'm sure. I mean, Gohan is going to want to see you and all." He babbled, lifting a hand, waving it. "Man, wait until you see Gohan and how much older he has gotten since you've seen him. I mean, you probably won't even recognize him right away."

"That's right; Gohan would be… twenty-eight now, huh?" Mirai nodded contemplatively. "It's nice to meet you Pan."

She grinned brightly, making a deep bow. "Yes, pleased to meet you!"

"And last, but most certainly not least…!" Bulma cut in, grabbing Mirai's arm and dragging him towards the two teenagers. "You've met Goten, Goku's second son already." The black-haired boy nodded, smiling. "So now, Trunks… meet our Trunks!"

* * *

Haha, I think this chapter is definitely longer than the original. Hope you liked it this one better! 


	4. Chapter 3 REWRITE

**CHAPTER THREE REWRITE**

I _**highly**_ recommend this chapter to be (re)read for the majority of it is drastically different from the original.

Note: Please understand that this story will be following a few episodes from the anime because that is where IT TAKES PLACE. Obviously, things will be changed due to Mirai's presence and such, but EXPECT scenes from the anime/manga to follow. They will be participating in the upcoming tournament, the SAME one as the anime/manga, therefore a good number of events will be brought up that you are aware of. AFTER the tournament, where the main story will start to take place, things will obviously be completely original. So for now, please bear with me for the sake of plot development.

All disclaimers, notes, etc. apply. Please read Prologue for details.

* * *

- Chapter Three

Present Time- Grassy Field- 6:19 PM

Mirai calmly observed the near-identical features of the younger boy in front of him, noting with slight amusement how well groomed he kept himself. He was well aware that Bulma was expecting the two of them to exchange some sort of greeting, friendly or not, but he could almost taste the tension coming from the other boy, which made him wonder why nobody else noticed.

Then again, they were both essentially the same person, so perhaps he's able to feel the same as him in uncomfortable situations?

Trunks, on the other hand, was not only feeling discomforted, but also extremely distrusting of the man in front of him. Words from his childhood bedtime stories flashed through his mind as he created the now obvious connection. Despite the absurdity of the situation, Trunks understood who this person really was and the connection between them that ran deeper than physical. Aside from the introductions, of course.

The irony of his life.

With a clearing of his throat, Mirai held out a hand, smiling tentatively. "Pleased to meet you, Trunks."

Staring at the offered appendage, the younger boy felt his distress growing immensely. His mother couldn't possibly expect the two of them to immediately form some kind of friendship just because they were the 'same person.' The very thought of it was just unreasonable, because Trunks knew that this man grew up in a world so very different from his own. A world that was deemed living nearly insufferable.

At least according to his mother, who was rather known for being quite the dreamer.

Returning the gesture, despite the slight tremble, Trunks forced a small smile. "Yes, nice to meet you as well... Trunks." Blinking, he stared at the intertwined hands, realizing how much more rougher and calloused the older one's were, but all from what, he wasn't sure.

Bulma clapped her hands together gleefully, either not noticing or choosing to ignore the strain between the two. "Well, good to see that we're all getting along well. Now who's hungry for dinner?"

A thunderous growl erupted from behind, causing the Brief family to spin around quickly, only to see Goku rubbing the back of his head embarrassingly.

"Ha, I guess that would include me as well!" Ignoring the blatant stares, he bent down to lift up Pan, placing her on top of his broad shoulders. "Well, it was good seeing you again Trunks. We'll all have to get together sometime. Bye for now!" And with that, the two shot off into the sky.

"H-Hey dad!" Goten, stumbling forward in surprise. "Wait for me!" He positioned himself, then paused, turning his head slightly to give Mirai an inquisitive glance. Then he turned his attention towards Bulma and Trunks, crossing his arms nonchalantly. "Actually... I don't feel like going home.

Mother and son both sweat dropped, as the latter sighed with annoyance, although with the small smile he was expressing made him appeared as amused.

"So..." A brief pause, then he immediately appeared in front of the two, hands clasped together pleadingly with a pout on his lips to match. "Could I come home with you guys? Pretty please?!"

With a slap against his forehead, followed by an upside smack onto his black-haired friend, Trunks growled lightly. "You are really ridiculous, you know that?!"

Bulma laughed loudly, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. "Of course you can join us Goten, the more the merrier! Just make sure to call your mother when we get home, okay?"

"Yes ma'am!" He saluted her, flashing the famous Son grin.

Brief's Household/Capsule Corporation- 7:10 PM

Snippets of chitchat and loud, rambunctious of chewing filtered the air, along with the mouth-watering aromas of the endless amount of food being brought to the tables by the assisting maids, as Mirai took in the scene with apprehension. It wasn't that he was not hungry, but simply the fact that he was not used to such a... lighthearted atmosphere and especially the amount of food being set before him. He felt tense, though he tried to hide it, discomfort surely sifting through his body.

The purple-haired man tried to keep back the guilty feeling he felt, remembering his own mother he had to leave behind, once _again_, with barely anything as he sat here with just about anything he wanted within his grasp. It was a sickening feeling and he hated himself for it, but he couldn't let the others know that. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the rice bowl, forcing himself to dig in eagerly like the others.

Goten and Trunks continuously teased each other about silly stuff, humoring Bulla and Bulma at the same time. As for Vegeta, seated at the front end of the table as the rightful 'man of the house', acted coolly, yet if one observed closely, it could be seem that he was listening in to the seemingly juvenile chattering. Mirai could see that Vegeta has changed in some ways, his features a little less sharp and his actions a little less severe. As he desperately tried to ignore it, he couldn't help but listen as a snotty voice in the back of his head commented how he had nothing to do with his father's changes, being that this father was of a different time. This was not the time to be brooding over things he can and never will have.

A small, childlike hand touched him on the arm, as he jolted slightly, mentally reprimanding himself for daydreaming, and looked at his side to see his once-potential sister standing there, with a bowl in her hand, smiling pleasantly. Lifting the bowl towards him, she blush slightly, still a little shy around newcomers, even if they looked like her older brother. "Ice cream for you, Big Trunks."

Mirai gently took the bowl from her grasp, using his other hand to pat her on the head softly. "Thank you Bulla." He had to smile at her nickname, while the circumstances containing his origins was kept from her, being too young to possibly understand it all. It was simply stated that he was a distant relative coming for a short visit, who just so happened to have similar looks and name as her brother Trunks. So, in short, she accepted the white lie merrily, immediately dubbing the time traveler as 'Big Trunks' to differentiate between the two for her.

She beamed, placing her hands on his armrests, leaning forward. "I helped scoop that. The maids told me how to do it properly with an ice cream scooper." While she spoke casually, it was pretty evident she had a bit of pride concerning her scooping abilities and usefulness in the kitchen despite her young age of four.

"That's great." Mirai took a small bite of the cool sweetness, enjoying a taste he rarely had felt during his own time. "You will probably become a master chef in no time."

"Hey Bulla, where's my ice cream?" Trunks commented from his spot next to Goten, as he watched, with slight annoyance, the whole conversation. "Goten and me want some too."

Bulla pursed her lips, lifting her head up arrogantly, a trait no doubt inherited from her superiority-obsessed father. "The maids will give you yours. I only delivered daddy's, mommy's and Big Trunks'."

"You brat!" He complained loudly, though he couldn't help sniggering at her attempts to act haughty. "Now that's just mean."

She stuck out her tongue childishly. "You're the one who's mean."

"Oh really?" He stood up with a mockingly menacing glare. He raised his hands slowly. "Is that..." Then wiggled his fingers. "A challenge?"

With a squeal, she removed herself from Mirai's side, quickly running out of the room as Trunks chased after her, keeping his pace in check to give her some space to run. Once they reached the living room, the purple-haired teen dived, slightly levitating in the air and grabbed his sister around the waist, fingers dancing lightly along her sides. Shrieking uncontrollably, her giggles were rowdy and contagious as she struggled playfully against her brother's firm grasp. Loosening his grip, Trunks allowed Bulla room to attack back, chuckling just as loudly.

Bulma sniggered from her seat, mouth over her lips as Goten laughed openly. Vegeta, as usual, made no signs of amusement though there could quite possibly be a ghost of a smile gracing his lips, if Mirai wasn't seeing things. As for himself, the time traveler smiled, amused by the noises, bits of chuckles falling from his lips.

"This is nice." He commented, catching the remainder of the people present's attention, in which he flushed. "Ah... I, uh..." Sighing, he smiled again. "It's nice to be able to laugh so easily like this."

"Well, yeah! You can't feel bad after laughing... unless you're laughing at someone else, then you feel guilty... or you laugh when it's not funny then feel embarrassed... uhh..." Goten stopped, rubbing his brow, "wait a minute, now I'm confused."

"That's because there isn't much going on up there." Trunks stated, suddenly popping up from behind, with Bulla thrown over his shoulder. Lightly tapping the top of his friend's head, the purple-haired boy winked. "Nothing but girls, right?"

Goten grinned like a mad man, sniggering. "Yep!" Then he halted, letting it sink in. "Hey, wait! I think about other things besides girls!" He protested, shaking his fists. "You're the one who only has girls on his mind!"

Trunks laughed, dodging Goten's attempts to hit him. Ducking under one shot, he retaliated with a casual act, Goten and himself often getting into mock fistfights, though he seemed to have momentarily forgotten about his sister, whom was falling off his shoulder.

She squeaked, covering her face, waiting for the floor to meet up with her. Instead, muscular arms quickly embraced her, lifting her petite body gracefully as she opened her eyes. "Ah, Big Trunks!" With a blush, she reached up speedily, arms immediately wrapping around his neck to hug him, in which caught him off guard as he tried to keep a steady hold on her.

"Trunks!" Bulma called out sternly, with a frown gracing her features. "You need to be more careful with your sister!"

"Oh, come off!" He retorted, exasperation clearly evident in his tone. "Like I couldn't have caught her before Mr. Superman here did."

Mirai looked at his younger counterpart embarrassingly, as he was so used to relying on instinct that he fleetingly forgotten that Trunks was just as capable of pulling off reactions like himself and mentally kicked himself for responding in that sort of way. He didn't need to be so tense here, not needing to worry about everything and everyone. This time period...

"Well then, obviously, Trunks here," Vegeta nodded to Mirai, "Simply has more responsive reflexes than you do. Perhaps it's a sign, boy." He criticized rather harshly, though his irritation with Trunks' lack of interest in training has been grating on his nerves for quite some time.

Trunks, ever so impulsive, flushed angrily as his father not only clearly took the other Trunks' side, who doesn't even belong here, but even embarrassed him in front of everyone. "Fine, whatever! I know whom everyone fucking favors around here!" Turning around, he stalked out of the room hurriedly, ignoring Goten's protests as the younger teenager quickly followed.

"Oh dear." Bulma sighed, standing from her seat. She wanted to send a glare towards the flame-haired man, but knew it would just be ignored. "Trunks, honey, please don't take it personally." She spoke soothingly, walking around to approach the time traveler. "Our Trunks is just... you know, a teenager. He has an attitude and likes to be difficult."

"Is my presence a bother?"

Bulla, arms still wrapped around the man's neck, looked up at him worriedly, fearing that he would suddenly leave. In an unspoken response, she tightened her grip, laying her head against his broad shoulder. Mirai, though surprised, smiled softly, keeping a firm grip around the small body.

Bulma beamed, looking at the touching image, then placed a hand on Mirai's arm. "No, your presence is not a bother. Trunks is just feeling... well, if we were to go by primitive Saiyan standards..." She trailed off, looking at Vegeta teasingly, who, in turn, just rolled his eyes and snorted. "Threatened by you because he fears that you will take over his territory of sorts."

The long-haired man raised an eyebrow. "What are we, dogs?"

Bulma just laughed loudly at his question as the prince stood up from his seat, clearly annoyed by the conversation. "You people are ridiculous." With that said, he walked out of the room.

Wiping a few tears from her cerulean eyes, Bulma stifled a couple more giggles, her grin as wide as ever though. "Don't mind him. Anyways, in _human_ standards..." She couldn't help but laugh again as Mirai sighed, though the corners of his lips were lifting. "Simply put, Trunks is very competitive and arrogant, no thanks to his father." Mirai wanted to comment that she was the same but willingly kept his mouth shut. "By being put next to you, he is put in a bad light, purely because you appear as a stronger person than he is." She reached up with her hands, placing it against his cheeks, finding the skin taut and firm. "The two of you are essentially the same person, but really, because of your environment, you appear older, more mature. You should understand especially that Trunks doesn't like to be looked down on."

The purple-haired man nodded solemnly, her words making sense now that he thought it over. It was a matter of pride, which anyone related to Vegeta _or_ Bulma evidently had. Trunks, of course, was full of it. Mirai, naturally retained his, though it was not as strong, simply because there was no one in his time to compare himself to. It is already assumed that he is the strongest fighter left in his world, along with the idea that Mirai didn't really have time to think about it, considering most of his time was spent either fighting the androids or training himself to become stronger _to_ fight the androids. Even with them gone, he still never gave it much thought because there just was no reason to anymore.

At least, not until now.

Bending down, he placed Bulla on her feet, despite her protests amidst the yawns. Bulma took her hand as to the little girl leaned against her mother's leg for support out of sleepiness. "Just be yourself, Trunks."

He frowned confusingly, wondering how that was going to solve anything.

She kept smiling. "Really. If you continue to act as you are, Trunks will see that the two of you, despite biological reasoning, are clearly two different people. He's brash, so he reacts quickly without thinking about things sometimes, but he'll realize it soon enough. Just give it some time and please, I beg you, dear, don't ever think that you are a burden here, because just seeing that you are well makes me happier than you can imagine. As I said before, no matter what time period you're from, you're my son and I have every right to worry about you, so deal with it."

"Mother..." Mirai spoken softly, for once, not referring her as Bulma. "Thank you." He resisted the urge to just step up and hug her, to express his gratitude, but couldn't. It was still too awkward for him and he hoped that she understood that, which it seems she did, since she didn't make any moves either.

She beamed, picking up little Bulla. "Yes! All right, I'm putting this little brat to bed, so good night, honey."

"Good night." He stroked the sleepy girl's head, who giggled lightly in response, then walked down the hall, as his thoughts tumbled around, sorting themselves out.

* * *

Phew, that was rewrite. Many, many changes have been changed, so hopefully everyone is rereading these rewrites. Only two more and then back to continuing the story! Hope you enjoyed! 


	5. Chapter 4 REWRITE

CHAPTER FOUR REWRITE

Only this one and the next, so please continuing rereading for I do have the eighth chapter completed, but will not be posted until these are done!

All disclaimers, notes, explanations, etc. are in the prologue chapter, so please refer to it.

* * *

- Chapter Four

Brief's Household- Main Hall- 8:37 PM

"Fine, whatever! I know whom everyone fucking favors around here!"

Trunks groaned, running his hands roughly and almost painfully through his silky lavender strands, as he leaned against the cool, steel wall of the inner corridor of the large, spacious hallway. Leaning his head back, far enough to have the glare of the light overhead stare back steadily, blurring his vision slightly, Trunks sighed heavily, cursing himself for the millionth time in the past few minutes.

"Trunks! Gheezus, make me chase after you all the time!" The approaching black-haired teen griped, hands shoved in his pockets. He paused a few steps away, staring at the image thoughtfully. "You'll burn out your eyes if you stay like that, methinks."

"Good, then I won't have to look at him anymore." The conceited teenager mumbled, though pushing his head back to its regular position from the glare, assuming Goten would come over and force him away from it at some point anyways.

Goten frowned. "Trunks-"

"Am I an asshole, Goten?" Trunks cut him off, his eyes drained of his previous irritation, now looking quite pitiful that his friend couldn't help but feel a little bad for the guy, though the question asked, on the other hand...

Goten coughed lightly, shifting his glance. "I dunno if you want me answering that, man."

"Goten, I'm serious! Answer my question."

"See?" The teen pointed at him. "Your demanding tone, so utterly demanding, that's full of demanding vigor, could be interpreted as how one could act as 'an asshole'."

Trunks couldn't think of anything for a proper response, except for a raised eyebrow. "... the hell? Oh man, don't tell me your mother is getting onto you now..."

"Nah, I just wanted to impress you with my superior knowledge and understanding of the basics of our language." The black-haired teen grinned smugly, thought quite humorously enough that it was evident that he was doing it all just to lighten up his friend.

Trunks apparently wasn't all that amused. "Well, stop it, it's annoying."

"Ha!" Goten pointed his finger again. "Another 'asshole-like' comment!"

He couldn't do anything but sigh, although he felt the corners of his lips tugging upward, a small smile appearing. "All right, so it's official. I'm an asshole."

"Nah, you can be an ass, but you're not an asshole, Trunks."

The purple-haired boy frowned, now confused and wondering if his friend even knew what he was saying at this point. "Goten... what?"

The black-haired teen chuckled, draping an arm over the other boy's shoulder. "What I mean, is that though you can say stupid shit at times, because everyone does, but you realize your mistakes, therefore you're not an asshole. A real asshole wouldn't give a shit what he said to anyone and wouldn't think twice about it, yeah?"

Trunks sighed. "Goten, if you were a girl or if I wasn't straight, I think I would fall for you."

The other boy beamed, free arm perched on his hip confidently. "What can I say? I just have my natural charms."

"When you have your rare intelligent moments."

"Hey!" Taking a step back, releasing his shoulder, Goten tossed a playful punch at his friend, whom easily swiped it aside. "I am a very intelligent person, I just don't choose to act like it all the time."

"Sure. Whatever you say."

"Do you think you are an asshole?"

Trunks blinked, not expecting to have his own question directed at him. He opened his mouth, then shut it promptly. Frowning, he thought it over. Yes, he does have an attitude, a bit arrogant, if he must admit, clearly something he inherited from his father. His mother had strong confidence, but she didn't rub it in the faces of others. She had enough kindness in her that prevented that sort of act, but his father, on the other hand... "Then I will ask like this: Am I like my father?"

"Nope."

The purple-haired teen blinked again, now from the immediate response.

Goten sighed, rubbing the back of his head, which he does out of habit, along with a rather sincere expression. "Trunks, as long as you have your mother, sister, grandparents and all your friends, you can never become like your father. They keep you who you are, keep you intact, keep you sane, like me and Gohan, you know?" He coughed suddenly, blushing. "I mean, not t-that I'm saying your dad is insane or anything, because, you know, he has his cool moments and that! I mean-"

"It's okay, Goten." Trunks cut him off, smiling. "Because I know you would never say anything bad about anybody without reason, it's okay. I know what my father is like, what he once was." He frowned, gaze staring at the floor. "I think I was inclining more as to my father as he was in the past, than as he is now, when I asked you that."

"Hey." He reached out, patting the purple-haired teen's on the back. "I'm here for you, man. I'm here to keep you sane."

"Aye, right back at you."

Propping his arms against his hips once more, Goten snorted, fake haughtiness stemming from his voice. "Please Trunks, I couldn't possible go insane. I'm Goten. I'm superior to such to things."

Trunks grinned. "I heard Gohan had his crazy moments, no?"

The black-haired teen snorted, crossing his arms. "That's Gohan. I'm better than him anyways."

The older teenager burst out laughing, which manifestly caused the younger one to break out the infamous 'Son grin', chuckling right along.

"Thanks man, I owe you one."

"Oh!" The black-haired boy clapped his hands together. "You'll buy me a meal? Oh, Trunks, you're just too kind."

"Yeah, right, I ain't buying you shit. I can give you my own leftovers though…" He finished off, now starting to walk forward, out of the main hall.

"Hey! That's not fair. Then I won't get anything at all." Goten cried, making sure to stay in pace with the other.

Mirai, positioned at the corner, opposite side of the two teenagers, smiled gently as he listened to the two walk away, in cheerful tones. He then frowned though, wondering if the two even noticed his presence nearby. Sure, he lowered it as low as possible, but surely he was still noticeable? Debating over whether they knew but ignored him or simply didn't notice at all, he shook his head.

It really wasn't his place to say such things, especially since this isn't his time. He bit his bottom lip, eyebrows furrowing. But still...

Brief's Household- Kitchen- 5:15 AM

Bulma yawned, mouth stretched wide open as she tugged her arms upward, tugging the weariness out of them. Her stomach grumbling with hunger, she mumbled to herself, rubbing the aforementioned body part. Stepping into her spacious and sterile kitchen, she almost fell over immediately, if she didn't catch hold of the doorframe at the last second, gasping with surprise.

"Trunks, what are you doing up so early?" She asked bewilderingly, moving to grab hold of the kitchen counter to steady herself.

The time traveler blinked, pan that was grasped firmly in his grip, held slightly above the surface of the stove. "Ah, sorry. I didn't realize you got up this early as well."

"Well, I was just about to say that to you as well." She commented, walking over to the already steaming coffeepot. "Oh good, coffee." Pouring herself a cup, she turned with one arm neatly crossed over her stomach and the other smoothly holding the cup with two fingers, leaning against the counter. "So what reason do you have for being up?"

"Well, I have always gotten up when Mother gets up, so I guess it just became a habit. Besides, since nobody is normally awake at this hour, I can train better without being disturbed." He explained in a single breath, flipping the eggs in the pan. "Do you want something to eat?"

"Thanks, but no thanks. I don't normally eat breakfast until later." The blue-haired replied, smiling calmly.

"Ah."

A moment of silence passed, with only the sound of frying to be heard.

Setting down her empty cup in the sink, she turned to face the doorway. "If you need me, I'll be in the lab."

"All right, have fun."

"Of course."

Mirai smiled, noting the obvious similarity between this Bulma and his own mother when concerning habits. Then his smile dropped when the image of his own mother popped up again, a seemingly forced smile on her face, as if she was hiding something, something painful, but she didn't want to tell him. She couldn't tell him. Mirai saw right through it but he never had the courage to ask. He couldn't. Even if he did have suspicion to what it was, he couldn't bring up the subject because... He squeezed his eyes shut, blocking it out...

Snapping his eyes open, blue irises shifting towards the door, as he felt another presence approaching.

It was Trunks.

Mirai frowned, wondered if the boy really have some similar habits as himself. Even if that was the case, why would he be up at five-thirty in the morning? His answer is provided as soon as the mentioned boy walked in, seemingly in a daze.

The long-haired man blinked. This was new. He really never seen anyone sleepwalk before, (well, of the few people he had around him) but this image certainly struck his curiosity as he watched with slight amusement.

Trunks, stumbling around due to his lack of awareness of his surroundings, finally found the refrigerator, yanking it open with a little more force than necessary. Mirai winced as a couple items fell to the floor sharply, and then expressed wonder when the younger one didn't even snap attention to that. With one hand, he fumbled around until he grasped the milk carton, a small smile gracing his lips. Popping it open, the short-haired boy chugged a good bit of down, barely leaving much, then replaced it back on the shelf. Shutting the door (more like letting it drift shut), the boy licked his lips in such a way that took Mirai aback, as he continued to watch the boy stumbled back out of the room, probably back up to his room.

Mirai was, needless to say, rather speechless after the scene, not really sure what to make of it. One part of him was concerned that Trunks is sleepwalking, a rather dangerous sign of weakness. Another part was still rather taken off-guard with the way he licked his lips. As much as he hated to say it, it was a rather sensual move, not that Mirai would know much about that sort of act, but he briefly wondered what Trunks was thinking about when he did that. Then again, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know.

Sighing, he jumped to attention when a burning smell drifted up to his nostrils, cursing himself for, once again, being distracted so easily.

Brief's Household- Gravity Room- 8:02 AM

Throwing a couple punches in the air, Mirai threw himself back a couple steps, adding in some side kicks. Slightly powering up, he positioned his hands, allowing a good amount of ki to gather in his palms. Once he released it, he immediately jumped in front of the attack, slashing it once with the side of his hand, causing the remaining ki to dissipate.

"Well, I guess you weren't lying after all." A deep, gruff voice was heard from behind, causing Mirai to shift into defensive mood impulsively without checking out the source.

Vegeta raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"Ah... fath-I mean, Vegeta." He swallowed, feeling a sense of discomfort rise up in him, a normal feeling he gets when around the formidable man. "Sorry." He mumbled, lowering his arms. "Well, I'm done now, so I'll get-"

"Hold on a moment." The older man commanded, taking a couple steps inside. "You're not leaving until we spar. I want to see your current strength."

The boy blinked, staring at the other man in confusion and a bit suspiciously. "But since it has been about seventeen years since you've seen me and only three for myself, its would be rather obvious that you would beat me almost immediately." He made a slight smirk, probably a bad move on his part, but he couldn't help but want to jab a bit. "Surely you have plenty of new techniques and attacks by now?"

"Don't whine!" The flame-haired man snapped, canines being bared, "You are the sole fighter of your time. You must learn how to become stronger alone. I want to see how much you have improved since the last I saw you, not how strong you are compared to myself." Smirking, Vegeta continued on with a cocky tone. "Of course I would beat you immediately, that's a given."

Mirai growled lightly, his uneasiness being slowly replaced by irritation. Surely he doesn't act this arrogant with Trunks... then again... "I have a question."

"What?" The older man snapped, getting annoyed by this boy's stubborn act.

"Do you and Trunks train?"

"Idiot, of course we train!"

"I mean together!"

Vegeta paused, not liking where this future version of his son was heading. "Not that it's really any of your business, but only occasionally. His schedule clashes against mine most of the time, so we train separately."

Mirai frowned, biting his bottom lip to prevent himself from saying what he really wanted to proclaim, but he knew he would just piss off the older man more than anything. "But... does Trunks really train?"

The prince frowned deeper at the implied accusation. "Look here, I know things are drastically different from your time to our time and yes, I'm quite aware that things must be rather horrendous, now that you've finally gotten rid of the androids and Cell, _but_ that doesn't mean you can make such judgments in _this_ time period."

Mirai tried to think of something to protest against him with, nothing but random stutters came up.

"Look!" Vegeta snapped, once again. "You are alone!"

"I know that!"

Vegeta growled out of impatience. "Trunks! You're not listening to what I'm saying!"

Mirai, despite the obvious tenacious expression on his face, tried to stay quiet. It was difficult though, when Vegeta chose to say things that are already most painful to deal with. Apparently while the man can express concern over his physical being, his mental state was obviously a completely different matter.

"Ten years ago, we faced an incredibly powerful enemy, one that was practically indestructible, and almost had the world completely and utterly destroyed. If that creature succeeded, there would be nothing left. Sounding a little similar?"

The long-haired boy glared, nodding curtly.

"Trunks was only eight years old at that time, and also was able to power up into a Super Saiyan. What about you?"

He swallowed, not wanting to remember his first time transforming. "… I was fourteen."

"Right, so Trunks was nearly half your age. Of course, I've been training him with myself, getting him to match up with me in gravity pressure amount. When the enemy appeared, Trunks, alone was no match, but he was able to put a good fight along with that Son brat."

"Gohan?"

"No, the other one. I don't care for names, so don't interrupt," Crossing his arms, Vegeta continued, "This new enemy had multiple forms, similar to Cell and Frieza, getting stronger as he transformed. Obviously he killed millions of people along the way. It took everyone's strength to finish him off in the end. All of this transpires less than a month's worth of time."

"W-Who was this enemy?" He asked suspiciously, the whole thing sounding a little too surreal. Then again, with all the shit he's been through (not to leave out losing everyone except his mother, traveling through time, finding a stronger enemy than the androids and killed by said enemy, only to be revived shortly afterwards and plus some), really, what isn't possible these days?

"Buu."

Mirai blinked. "Boo? That's an… odd name."

He shrugged offhandedly. "Fits the creature. Now that you had your story time, we will fight. Let me see how much stronger you have gotten. If you can prove your right with your fists, I will listen to what you have to bitch about."

"No."

The older man was about to flash over to the boy and smack him senseless. "Excuse me?!"

Mirai flinched at the anger, but remained stoic. "Not today."

"Surely this isn't how you defended yourself against yourselves? Well, now that I think about it, there was that time with Cell..."

He was barely holding onto himself, the desire to strike at the older man growing stronger by the second. "I saved our asses that time, if I recall correctly." He gritted out, fists clenched tightly. "And for your information, _no_, I do not ask for another day when I'm fighting. I fight when I encounter that sort of situation."

Icy glares clashed, neither willing to back down, though with Mirai's uncontrollable trembles, it was rather clear that Vegeta would win, hands down. Snorting, the prince turned away, visibly ending the argument (was it an argument? Mirai really wasn't sure what this sort of moment it was, but it certainly was above normal strained conversations, yet below an actual fight. Bickering? Yes, they were bickering).

"… eight o'clock, morning, tomorrow. Now leave."

Quickly forcing himself to keep quiet, the long-haired man turned to walk out of the gravity chamber. Waiting until the cool, steel door slid shut breezily, Mirai leaned heavily against it, sighing. Placing his arm over his eyes, he thought to himself, feeling angry, guilty and foolish.

Why did he back away? He could've at least tried, even though he was well aware that he would lose within moments. No, it just wasn't a good time. Not just the fact that any sort of father-son relationship between the two will always be pretty much nothing, absolute zero, but with the other Trunks (his attitude towards Mirai) and of course, his own mother (still stuck in the future, waiting patiently for his return) on his mind, he just couldn't focus. Everything was thrown at him, too much, too fast, he couldn't possibly comprehend it all at once.

He couldn't be here for long. He had to leave as soon as possible.

Or else it will just kill him.

Slowly, painfully.

From inside out.

He just wished he could understand why.

* * *

Oooh, tension, tension. Tsk, tsk. Yes, the last two part have been taken out for they will be inputted into the next chapter (because that one is rather short in comparison). Anyways, hoped you enjoyed this and please continue on. One more chapter that is a rewrite and then it's all good! 


	6. Chapter 5 REWRITE

**CHAPTER FIVE REWRITE**

**

* * *

Containg Thy Self**- Chapter Five

Son's Household- Front Yard- 9:52 AM

Giggling loudly as she leapt in the air, clumsy fingers brushing against the sheer, paper-thin wings of fluttering butterflies, Pan ran adamantly through the yard.

"What do you mean Trunks is here!?"

With a squeak, the girl dropped to the soft grass soundlessly, staring with surprise at her father's sudden temperament towards her grandfather. Frowning at the idea that her father was upset, she set out on the idea that flowers would make his temper go away, dutifully searching out.

"I don't know!" Goku cried, wincing at the tone his son was using, taking note of the similarity to his own wife. "He just kind of appeared and then left with Bulma." Making a pout in hopes that the younger man would lighten up. "C'mon Gohan, I was hungry! You know how I am when I'm hungry."

"Yes, calm down Gohan." Videl said soothingly, patting her husband's muscled arm. Even though she wasn't sure what was going, evidently deducing that they were discussing a different Trunks, she _did_ know how Gohan gets upset easily.

"Yes, you're right. I'm sorry dad." Running a hand through his thick, short hair, he sighed. "So you don't anything about why he's here?"

"Well..." Furrowing his eyebrows and pursing his lips, Goku tapped his chin in a thoughtful manner. "Something about a malfunction with his machine and he mentioned about defeating the androids too."

The son raised his eyebrows. "Oh, then he was coming back to tell us about that?"

Goku shrugged. "Maybe, he said he didn't mean to come here. He really didn't say much else though." The older man titled his head. "Goten seemed to like him a lot, now that I think about it. I think he went with them for dinner because he didn't come with Pan and me."

"Really?" Gohan glanced at his wife who shrugged in response. "Not that Goten is really picky with people to begin with but for him to be friendly with someone new right away." He paused momentarily. "Then again, it is another Trunks so Goten probably got all excited about the idea of two Trunks."

"Well, I'm sure we'll find out what's going on later." Goku commented offhandedly, smiling at the sight of his granddaughter holding a bundle of flowers as she pranced through the yard. "Oh yeah, I told Trunks about you when I was introducing Pan so he'll probably come and see you anyways."

"Daddy!" Gohan looked down to see his young daughter with all smiles as she held out colorful flowers towards. "These will make your temper go away!"

"Temper?" He blinked, then remembered how he yelled earlier. "Why thank you Pan!" Reaching down, he grabbed her gently by the waist, hoisting her up in the air, smiling as she squealed with delight. Catching her and suspending her body with one arm against his chest, he took the flowers, handing them to Videl. "Mommy will put them in a pretty vase."

"Yay!" She cheered, wrapping her short arms around his neck, rubbing her nose affectionately against his collared white shirt. "I want to see the new Trunks too, daddy."

"Did you like him, Pan?"

"Yeah, he looked like he came from a tough battle!" She explained, hands raised in the air. "He had long hair too, purple like old Trunks. I wanted to ask if I could braid it because he looked really sad."

Gohan blinked, concern washing over his features. "He was sad?"

"Yeah." She nodded, a pout forming. "He said he was lonely."

"I see.." Raising his head as he sensed a large power approaching, he frowned. "Dad, is that him?"

Goku smiled. "Yep."

Brief's Household- Kitchen- 10:10 AM

Sitting at the wooden table, slouching back casually and rather undignified with one arm propped over the edge, Goten frowned when he realized that Mirai wasn't around. After the hunt, he went to go wake up Trunks, who (whether accidentally or not, he wasn't sure) almost attacked him in his sleep. His frown grew deeper when he remembered how Trunks simply threw away his alarm clock instead of just fixing it, another reminder that Trunks was rich and he was not.

Shaking his head, Goten reprimanded himself for having that thought. He knew that no matter how much Trunks may have, the purple-haired teen would never rub it in Goten's face on purpose. The two valued their friendship too much to quarrel over amount of wealth their families possessed. Speaking of which...

"I swear to Kami, someone stole my blue shirt." Trunks complained loudly, sauntering into the pristine-looking kitchen with an annoyed look.

Goten raised an eyebrow. "What a shame, you poor thing. Are you sure you don't want to check what you have on now?" He grinned, sarcasm evident in his tone. "You might've grabbed mismatched socks, yeah?"

"And all I hear from you is jealously." Trunks shot back, mockingly flipping his hair with one hand. "Really Goten, it's all bitch, bitch, bitch."

"Right." He stood up, chair sliding back smoothly against the linoleum floor. "Well then, since I waited oh-so patiently for the princess, I will reward myself with a snack."

The purple-haired teenager scowled at the nickname. "You just wished you had my good looks. Oh, and get me something to eat too." The other boy glanced back from his spot in front of the open refrigerator, watching as Trunks took a seat at the table. "Something tasty." Folding his hands on top of the table surface, he grinned at his friend. "Hop to it."

"I may bitch, but you are a bitch." The black-haired boy grabbed some containers, piling them in his arms. When he pretty much grabbed everything left, he stood back up, slightly unsteady, and shut the refrigerator with his hip. "All right, how about this? I'll eat until I'm good and then you can have the rest." Placing the filled dishware's down in a cluttered group around his seat, Goten placed himself down, chopsticks in hand. "Yeah, I think that's a good plan."

Trunks snatched one bowl, peering inside to look at the contents. "Ha ha, I think not."

Sons' Household- Front Yard- 10:13 AM

Landing softly, Mirai glanced ahead, noticing four people standing close by, staring right back at him. There was Goku (who will never change), Pan (whom he met earlier), an unfamiliar woman and then...

"Ah, Gohan?!" Taking a couple steps towards the group, he couldn't help but allow the shock overcome him. He scanned the now-older man's body, noticing the height, looks, age, clothes, everything that was different. "Unbelievable, really."

"Yes, I'm in agreement with you there." The black-haired man laughed, one hand held out as a friendly gesture as he continued to hold Pan in his other arm. "I mean, it's been about... seventeen years since we last saw you!"

"Ah, yes." He returned the greeting. "For you guys anyways. It's only been about three years for myself."

"Yeah? Dad said something went wrong with your machine?"

"Well..." Mirai blushes, replaying the scene over in his mind. "Sort of both me and the machine..."

"For goodness sake, Gohan." Videl came up to her husband's side from the house, already have gone inside to put the flowers in a vase. She took Pan out of his grasp, placing her on the ground. "Let the man settle down." Turning her gaze towards Mirai, she took note of the surprising resemblance between him and the Trunks they already know. "Ah... I mean, would you like some tea?"

"Oh, yes, you're right!" The black-haired man rubbed the back of his head embarrassingly. "Pan, why don't you go play with grandpa?"

She pouted, crossing her arms. "But I wanna play with new Trunks!"

Mirai chuckled over another nickname he has seemed to gained.

Videl bent down. "Now, honey, Gohan and new Trunks have a lot of things they want to talk about. You can play with him another time."

Looking at her mother, then at Goku and finally laid eyes on Mirai. Walking up the man, she tugged on his pants, despite Videl's protests. "You will come play another time? Grandpa gets boring after awhile."

"Boring!?" Goku sprang up near them, causing Gohan to stumble back in surprise. Bending over, he swept the little girl up in his arms. "Whaddya mean I'm boring, Pan!?"

Reaching up, she pinched his cheeks, pulling on them. "You're not as handsome as new Trunks!" Coughing, Mirai turned his head to the side, ignoring the minor bits of crimson returning to his face.

Laughing, Gohan placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Ah yes, Trunks. This lovely woman here..." He gestured towards the dark-haired woman, who smiled yet rolled her eyes. "Is my wife, Videl. Videl, this is Trunks."

"Please to meet you." Mirai shook her smaller, smoother hand in a sociable gesture. "It must be quite a trip, married to Gohan and all."

She broke out into laughter. "A trip and then some, yes! It's nice to meet you as well, as Pan says, new Trunks."

He smirked. "Well, I get called 'big Trunks' at Capsule Corps, so really, whatever works."

Gohan chuckled. "Come on Trunks. We can have tea and talk inside."

West City- Downtown- Arcade- 10:45 AM

"Hey, let's go find something else to do." Trunks commented, tapping his friend on the shoulder from behind.

"Hold on." Goten grunted, gripping the controls tightly in his hands, eyes intently focused on the screen. "Let me get this-GAH! Damn, I lost." Sighing with defeat, he turned around. "I swear these games are rigged."

"Well, yeah. How else will they get our money?" Pushing the doors open, Trunks walked outside the arcade, onto the sidewalk for their next, currently unknown, destination.

Goten followed close by. "Yeah, well, it's still stupid." Pushing his hands in his pocket, he glanced around at the passerby's. "Hm, what shall we do next?"

"I don't know." Trunks shrugged, arms crossed. "I guess we'll come across something."

The black-haired teen stared contemplatively at his friend's back as he kept a close distance. "Hey Trunks?"

"Hm?"

He bit his lip, wondering if he shouldn't bring up the subject. "Um..."

Stopping in his tracks, the older teen turned around with a questioning look.

"Uh..." Shifting his feet, he shifted his stare off to the side. "Do you... _hate_ Trunks?" When he heard nothing, Goten snuck a glance at his friend, whom was frowning, though not particularly out of hate, but more of annoyance. Goten immediately felt bad, wanting to take back his question, until Trunks opened his mouth.

"I don't hate anyone unless I have a good reason." With that said, he turned around, continuing to walk ahead.

Goten blinked, head titled at the vague response. Then he realized that he was being left behind, shouting at the older teen to slow down.

Son's Household- Gohan's Kitchen- 11:11 AM

"I'm happy to see you doing well, Gohan. Married, have a kid and everything." Mirai commented, smiling softly. "I have to say that this Buu creature really sounds like something else though. I can't even imagine trying to fight against him."

"He was definitely our toughest enemy we have faced as of now." Gohan sighed, leaning back in his chair. "But really, all of our enemies have been tough over the years. I mean, sure, Frieza would probably be nothing now but at the time, he was an absolute nightmare come true." Then he grinned wirily. "Of course, you wouldn't know that since you _were_ the one to defeat him within seconds."

"It is interesting though, to see how much stronger we become over the years. From Frieza to the androids to Cell, it was like an endless cycle, one formidable adversary after another." Taking a deep breath to loosen his grip on his cup that was starting to crack, Mirai squeezed his eyes shut. "Gohan, I... I don't want to say this, but..."

A concerned expression came over him as the older man frowned, scooting his chair closer to place a hand on his friend's shoulder. "What is it, Trunks? Is something wrong?"

He shook his head, purple strands swishing in the air. "No, everything is fine... at least, for now, anyways. I... I just... I'm afraid, Gohan."

He was quiet for a moment as he pondered, then smiled with understanding. "Trunks, it's okay to be afraid, but you have the strength to make it through. You just need to keep believing in yourself and think about those whom you are protecting." Placing his elbow against the table, propping it so he could lean his head against his open palm, Gohan continued, smile growing faint. "It's rough, isn't it? Being the sole fighter?"

"Yes, it is." He swallowed. "I just keep thinking 'what if something happens to me?'. If I die, who will protect mother? Who will protect the people who are left?" He sighed, eyes growing dark. "I can feel how much stronger all of you are, even just sitting here. Your power overcomes my own, it's astounding." He forced a smile although Gohan could see the envy burning in his gaze. "It's hard, you know, being around my... Vegeta, I mean."

"Trunks..." The black-haired bit his lip, sympathy for the younger boy growing by the second. Then he chuckled. "I think everyone finds it difficult to be around Vegeta." Grinning at the smirk forming on his friend's lips, he continued. "But Trunks, you _are_ strong. You should look at us as a goal that you can reach and eventually overcome because we had a good number of years on you, you know?" He picked up his cup, taking a sip. "I remember clearly how strong and remarkable you were, back with the androids and Cell. I mean, sure, I looked up at my father and Piccolo, but because you were younger, I guess I took it as a challenge to reach your level. At the time with Frieza on Earth, you surpassed everyone, almost even my dad. I was amazed that someone that young could hold that kind of power."

"But Gohan, you surpassed everyone during the Cell games, remember?" Mirai protested. "You were the first to reach the second level of the Super Saiyan at age eleven."

"That's true, but I was a kid too. I was foolish, allowing my arrogance to take over me and..." The older man took a breath. "Allowed both you and my father to die because I wouldn't finish him off like I should've." He pushed himself off his propped hand, leaning back in his chair once more. "It's dangerous, becoming more and more powerful in a short amount of time. That's why I'm worried about you, Trunks."

Mirai frowned skeptically. "But if I don't get stronger, how can I protect the Earth?"

"Like I said before, as long as you believe in yourself and think of the people you must protect, you _will_ be fine." He reached over with one hand, placing it on top of Mirai's forearm, gripping it tightly. "Don't ever let the power overtake you."

The time traveler stared at his cup, wincing faintly at the tightness. "Gohan, is that why... you're...?"

"Hm, I like studying. I like learning. I know it sounds pretty nerdy, but I enjoy being scholar, you know?" He smiled, a Son grin, releasing his grip.

Mirai snorted. "If you say so." He tilted his head back, glancing at the older man musingly. "You are... very much like my master Gohan. Your words are just like his."

"Yeah? Well, I would say it's because we're the same person, but..." His dark eyes shifted towards the purple-haired man. "You and Trunks of this time are very different. It's actually rather surprising, but not really unexpected. Even though the two of you are biologically the same, one can easily tell the two of you apart, even if you were to cut your hair short like his."

"Well, he did grow up with Vegeta."

"Vegeta influences everyone. Anyone can influence anyone, really." He tapped his chin pensively. "The both of you are impressionable. Even though you didn't have Vegeta around during your first seventeen years of life, you _did_ however, acknowledge him as your father, despite his attitude, and _did_ look up to him, just like Trunks now. I understand you have difficulty connecting with him since, one, you obviously didn't spend much time together, and two, Vegeta is just a difficult person in general, but..." He directed a smile towards his friend. "He does care because you are his son, no matter what time period you come from."

Mirai said nothing, though a ghost of a smile formed on his lips.

"Anyways, like I was saying before, don't think about the 'what ifs' because they don't do anything for you. Just keep moving forward because you have the power to do so."

"Yes, I understand." With the scraping of the chair, Mirai stood up. "I hate to leave, but I probably should go since I didn't tell anyone I was leaving."

"No problem. How long are you going to be around for?" Gohan asked, also getting up from his seat.

The time traveler pursed his lips thoughtfully. "It takes quite some time to recharge Hope, plus I think there may be a malfunction with the system due to my accident, so I'm not really quite sure. For awhile anyways."

He clamped a hand roughly on the younger man's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "Well be sure to stop by again. Heck, we'll come to the Capsule Corps. too at some point."

"Sure thing." Mirai smiled, making his way towards the door. "See you soon!"

* * *

Come on, wasn't that like, a million times better than the original chapter? Major Gohan-Mirai interaction, woo! Anyways, yes, this is the last of the rewrites! So now, expect nothing but updates to the story. Hope you enjoyed this! 


	7. Chapter 6

Damn, I got some ideas flowing for this so you guys better like it, haha!

Some Notes: I realized that the tournament was supposed to be the day after everyone met Pan... well, obviously, I'm changing that and extending a few days, lol. Also, things will be changed during the tournament and I'll explain that later on.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Containing Thy Self**- Chapter Six

_Brief's Household- Dining Area- 6:52 PM_

Clattering of dishes, undistinguishable requests and loud chewing was heard throughout the otherwise peaceful atmosphere during the dinner hour. Piles of empty bowls grew as the servants quickly walked back and forth from the kitchen to replenish the endless appetites deriving from the males in the room.

Mirai profusely thanked every servant that placed a dish in front of him, earning him some appreciative smiles and just barely noticeable better treatment, such as asking if needed another napkin or a fresh pair of chopsticks. This didn't escape Trunks' attention, apparently determined to watch the older man's every action for reasons only known to him, as he frowned in annoyance.

Huffing to himself, the purple-haired boy forced himself to look at his companion who has yet to go home. Goten, now with rice sticking all over the bottom portion of his face, didn't perceive the stare he was receiving, instead wholly focusing on the delicious meal that was set out in front of him. Trunks sighed, sneaking another look at his look-alike across the table, watching as Mirai helped Bulla hold her chopsticks properly.

Vegeta, seated at the front end of the table (AKA the reserved 'man of the house' spot), while didn't stop munching, also did not let anything unusual evade from his sight. Through chicken legs, he observed his (younger) son's reactions to the other Trunks, quirking an eyebrow at the curious actions. Fists clenching involuntarily, pursed lips, slowing of eating; all signs of frustrations yet without reason.

Placing his utensils down, the former prince leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest almost majestically. With a strong clearing of his throat, all actions slowly ceased, especially after Trunks whacked Goten in the arm to catch his attention. The flame-haired warrior tossed a displeased look towards the pair before returning his attention to the general population of the table in whole.

"As you know, the tournament is coming up in two days. Kakarot and his brat here," Goten pouted at the insult, "along with the little tyke, will be entering. Therefore, myself along with you, Trunks," He eyes shifted towards the short-haired boy. "will also be taking part."

"What about him?" Trunks asked, pointing his chopsticks insolently towards Mirai. "He should enter; he's a fighter."

Mirai blinked when he realized all attention was on him. "I-I really don't think I should. I mean, I would probably just get in the way. Besides, it's obvious that you guys are much stronger than me-"

"Enough!" Vegeta cut in forcefully, his scowl deepening. "While you're not obligated, I would strongly advise you to do so, considering that you most likely won't have these sort of things occurring during your own time."

Mirai winced, looking away harshly.

"Huh!?" Trunks called out, crudely slamming a hand on the wooden top. "Why doesn't he have to? If he doesn't participate, then neither will I!"

"Shut it boy. Enter or I'll cut your allowance in half!" Vegeta threatened, his crossed arms tensing up in irritation. "Don't be such a pain in the ass!"

"Vegeta!" Bulma called out, tossing him a look while covering Bulla's ears

The short-haired flinched; miffed at the callous tone he was receiving. Goten looked at his friend sympathetically, patting his shoulder in solace.

"I'll enter." Mirai spoke up, his words surprising the others. "Don't worry Trunks, I'll participate alongside with you and the rest."

Trunks stared at the man suspiciously, offering no looks of appreciation. Refocusing his gaze elsewhere, he found his father staring at him as well. The former prince raised an eyebrow, tossing his head towards the long, purple-haired being. The boy could also feel his black-haired friend gazing at him from the side, waiting for him to say something.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Trunks mumbled a 'thanks' before quickly excusing himself, tapping Goten on the head to follow. The younger boy stood up; laughing nervously and bowing his gratitude for the food, pouncing after the short-haired boy.

Mirai watched them leave, feeling a sense of tension slowly lifting off his shoulders, yet he felt unsatisfactory. Blinking when he felt a soft, warm touch covering his exposed hand, Mirai glanced over at the owner's wide blue eyes and grateful features.

Bulma patted his rough, calloused hand. "Thank you Trunks. Even if _he_ doesn't act like it, he does appreciate it. In fact, he probably thinks of this as a playful type of challenge, you know?" The blue-haired woman grinned, releasing her hold.

Mirai smiled tentatively, opened his mouth to respond if wasn't interrupted by a scraping of a chair on his other side. Tossing his glance over, the younger man watched as his father (in one way or another) stood from his seat and returned the look.

"Tomorrow morning, eight o'clock. No excuses." With that, he tossed his napkin on the table and took his leave.

"Oh, did Vegeta challenge you?" Bulma questioned offhandedly, crossing her arms, unintentionally copying her husband in attitude. "Really, some things never change with that man."

Mirai chuckled, smiling as he patted Bulla on the head as she took her leave as well. "Well, I wasn't really expecting anything else, I must admit. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be training so I have some chance of coming back alive."

If it were any other time, Bulma would've been rather galled at the words, but she was well aware that he was rather trying to lighten up the mood, not referring to the past. She also saw this as a forced attempt for Mirai to comfort himself that he was in no danger, unlike his time where he was constantly watching his back.

She smiled as he left the room, then sighed heavily, thinking about the growing hostility her younger son gives off towards his look-alike. In a way, the comforting words she gives to Mirai were to assure her as well. While she knows Trunks and is well conscious of his spoiled manner, the older woman had hopes that Trunks would perhaps find the idea of another _him_ somewhat fascinating, if not exciting.

She didn't apprehend that despite the nearly identical physical traits the two Trunks share, they couldn't have been more opposites in personality.

_Brief's Household- Outside of Training Facility/Gravity Room- 8:31 PM_

Stripped down to loose-fitting pants, boots and his trademark, slim-fitting black tank top, Mirai made his way down the corridor, ready to press the button at the side of the door for entrance, if it weren't for the sounds of voices floating nearby. Hovering his hand over the switch, the long-haired man remained still, waiting for the possessors of the voices came into sight.

The black-haired boy was laughing boisterously over something unknown, pausing in his tracks, causing Trunks to bump into him, once he came across Mirai standing stiffly, as if he was waiting for something. Which he kind was, but that's aside from the point. Goten broke into a wide, toothy grin, almost gleefully bouncing over to the older man, much to Trunks' exasperation.

"Hey Trunks, what are you up to?" The youngest one asked, making his way to his side. "Does the door not work or something?"

Mirai blinked, realizing that his hand was still lingering over the button and quickly brought it down. "No! I mean... I heard you guys coming so I just... didn't go in yet." He trailed off, scratching the side of his face with a finger.

Trunks snorted, arms crossed and looking away. Goten ignored him and patted the older man on the shoulder. "Well, hey, we should hang out. What are you up to tomorrow?"

"Aside from avoiding getting killed by Vegeta, I suppose not much." Mirai replied wirily, a slight smirk appearing. "Considering everything that happened so far was ridiculously unpredictable, I decided just sit back and see what comes up next."

The black-haired boy laughed, catching the underlying humor. "Sounds like a plan. Well then, I will unpredictably ambush you tomorrow at some given point during the day, so be unprepared for it." Smacking him on the back, he grinned madly, waving as the two teenagers continued their way down the hallway. Trunks opted to remain silence, following Goten without a notion towards the older man.

Mirai watched solemnly, frowning at Trunks's retreating back. Resisting the urge to sigh, he pressed the switch, allowing it to light up immediately, resulting in the door to slide open with a slight breeze coming through.

_Brief's Household- Training Facility/Gravity Room- 7:53 AM- Next Day_

Taking a deep breath, holding it and releasing, Mirai willed himself to stay calm. This is not going to be a serious fight. Or so he hoped. Just remember your training. Remember how you fought the androids. Fought Cell. Don't hesitate. Don't hold back. Don't ever hold back...

Snapping his head up at the sound of the door sliding, Mirai watched precariously as his supposed father walked inside. Vegeta had a look of wariness, not out of nervousness, but most likely due to Mirai's sudden change in attitude.

"All right brat." He began, taking a place on the opposite side of the room. "Hope you're ready and don't even think about holding back."

"I wasn't." Mirai growled, positioning himself. The older man quirked an eyebrow, seemingly becoming his trademark reaction as of late, but said nothing.

A sudden _whoosh_ sounded beside, as the younger Trunks popped in unannounced. Noticing his father's questioning gaze, he quickly looked away. "I... wanted to watch." Chewing on his bottom lip, he leaned against the wall, hands in his pant pockets.

Mirai barely spared him a glance, preparing himself for the oncoming onslaught he knew was going to occur. And he wasn't to be dissatisfied.

Vegeta, understanding that Mirai was more than ready, although perhaps not in the right state of mind, immediately flew forward in a vanishing act, reappearing in front of the younger man with a fist heading for the side of the face. Mirai reacted hastily by blocking with the use of his arm, yet the force caused him to slide back a few feet. Grunting, he whipped his arm to the side, breaking Vegeta's attack, swooping down to swing his leg.

Vegeta easily evaded the attack, pouncing back gracefully, but not without retaliation. Hand out, he swiftly gathered up small amounts of ki, whipping them at the purple-haired boy, who moved off to the side to dodge. Sliding into a stop behind the older man, Trunks created a couple signs with his hands, firing an attack, which the flame-haired warrior sliced in half easily, the remaining ki dissolving in the air.

Trunks observed from the side, readying his body to dodge any unintentional attacks that may come his way. He said nothing, but intently studied not his father, but his look-alike's moves. He wanted to say that the Mirai Trunks was moving along with an elegance of a cat, but he was rigid. His attacks were rapid, almost with the intent to kill. The short-haired boy could almost taste the tension and frustration coming off of him, as he struggled against his evidently more powerful father.

Trunks was well-aware that Vegeta was holding back, for Mirai's sake. Mirai had to see it as well, which could be the reasoning for his aggravation. The long-haired man knew that Vegeta was not fighting with as much strength as necessary for the time traveler, which, to anyone with Saiyan blood, was seen as an insult. Holding back was hand-in-hand with pitying someone. It was an offensive move during battle, expressing the knowledge of the opponent being weaker without words.

Snapping his head up upon hearing a loud crash, Trunks watched as Mirai crumpled into the dent in the wall due to the force of Vegeta's blows. But as quickly as he collided, the younger fighter jumped to his feet without faltering, striking back. The short-haired boy had to admit that, despite the apparent fact that Mirai was weaker of the two, he was holding up a good fight. Probably better than he would've done. No, Mirai was, without doubt, fighting at a much more advanced level than he ever had.

This realization made him sick to the stomach.

* * *

Yes, another finished chapter! Hope you guys liked it and please review for anything you think should be changed, added, etc.! 


	8. Chapter 7

Next chapter is here! Let's hope I can keep this going, haha!

Oh, a note to **dgnjfsgj:** As for Bulla, I apologize for not directly stating it, but during Mirai's settlement into the Capsule Corps and the family, he was (unknowingly to us) already informed of "his" relation to Bulla, which is why I made him a bit affectionate towards her presently. Sorry that I didn't write out the actual introduction (I'm a scene skipper, haha), so I'll try to be more careful with details in the later chapters.

Before you readers read this though, I would like to hear some opinions for the upcoming tournament. As you know, Mirai **will** be participating. You'll find out whom he fights later, but anyways, questions for you guys to ponder over:

**_How detailed would you like the fights to be?_ **We've seen the first two in the show, obviously as for the rest in brief images (although not accurate, according the ending result, which I'll bring up in a moment). Do you want the first two fights (this is especially aimed towards Goku us. Ubuu) in detail, even though you already know how it occurs? Or would you rather prefer an overview?

**_Winner: Goten or Buu?_ **The ending result was Mr. Satan as winner, with Buu in second. If that's the case, then Goten would have lost that battle. But in the ending images, they had Pan versus Goten (Pan would win second round by default since both Goku and Ubuu left, so in third round, she would fight Goten or Buu), with Pan defeating Goten. So any ideas towards this? I would like this battles to be accurate.

**_Japanese or American names?_ **I will probably end up using the American names for all non-important fighters, since I'm under the assumption that a large portion of the fanbase has watched Funimation's versions. I know that I have been using a mix (such as Mirai instead of 'future', contradictory Bulla instead of Bra, etc.), but here are the names I want opinions on:

_Tenkaichi Budoukai_ or **World Martial Arts Tournament**

_Mr. Satan _or **Hercules**

_Hokeiko_ or **Wild Tiger** (Pan's first opponent)

_Hidato _or **Narig** (he's the blond pretty boy)

_Otokosuki_ or **Odokosuki** (uhh, not much of a difference, but yeah, this is the gay guy)

_Knocks_ or **Nok** (Vegeta's first opponent... was, anyways)

**_Vegeta's ending line?_** Uhh, yeah, because I'm lame, I don't recall what exactly Vegeta said at the very end, after Goku left with Ubuu, so if someone could be so kind and inform me of it? Plus any 'memorable' parts that occurred... it really has been a frickin' long time since I've seen it, now that I think about it, haha.

Okay, now that I'm done being annoying and taking up space, enjoy the chapter!!

* * *

**Containing Thy Self**- Chapter Seven 

_Brief's Household- Mirai Trunks' temporary bedroom- 11:38 AM_

Using a soft, white towel wipe off the excess water from his previous shower, Mirai grimaced when he saw light streaks of crimson appearing on the pure color.

_He was in such a daze when Vegeta finally ended the fight, powering down with no questions to be asked. Mirai briefly recalled stumbling his way out, not even taking any of notice of the other boy in the room, and down to the hall to the closest bathroom. His vision was hazy, flashes of red. Nothing was making sense. Everything seemed to be out of order. His mind was barely functioning, body moving almost robotically, until he stepped into the hot shower._

_Then he woke up._

Mirai stared at the drying smudges of blood, wincing as a painful prickling started in his left shoulder blade. Reaching back with one hand to touch, he returned it, nearly mesmerized by the coppery color sliding down his fingers, dripping into his palm.

A _whoosh_ was heard, causing Mirai to immediately brace himself for an attack, only to realize that it was the black-haired friend of Trunks. The older boy relaxed visibly, but still looked at the other one questioningly. Normally, one would knock before entering, but this guy didn't seem to be fazed much by Mirai's shirtless state.

"Hey, Trunks, didn't realize you were chan-err, whoa! Are you bleeding?! Are you okay!?" Goten quickly made his way over to the other boy without waiting for a response. "Man, whoever it was, got you pretty good here on your back." Without warning, he placed his hands close to the wound, causing Mirai to stiffen and inadvertently hiss. "Hey, calm down, let me wrap this for you."

Mirai turned around, forcing himself out of Goten's grasp. "No, please, I can do it myself."

The black-haired boy frowned disapprovingly. "Don't be such a tightwad. You're just going get blood all over the place." Grabbing the older boy's hand, he lifted the bloody fingers to his face. "See? Now kneel on the floor and I'll get this all down for you."

Mirai sighed, seeing no room for argument, and complied. "Not that I don't appreciate this and all, but, if I may ask without intending offense... why are you here in my room?"

"Don't you remember what I said last night?" Goten asked, a bit of hurt seeping in his voice, as he finished wiping off the excess water and blood. "We're hanging out today, so I came to pick you up. Wasn't expecting to you like this though."

"Me being bloody or shirtless?" Mirai smirked, turning his head slightly to watch the younger boy flush copiously.

"Bloody! Well... I guess both, but... you know what I mean!" He raised his voice, pursing his lips in attempted annoyance.

Mirai tried to hold back another wince as Goten wiped the wound with some rubbing alcohol. "Well, me being bloody is one thing, but didn't you kind of think that I would be changing or something if you just walk in my room without knocking?"

Goten paused, seriously thinking about it. "Eh, Trunks, the other one, and I just walk in as we come and go, so I guess I just got accustomed to that. Sorry about that." Placing a few strips of gauze over the incision, he speedily wrapped it around the older man's shoulder, surprisingly neat. "Okay, think we're all set."

"Thanks. I owe you." Mirai smiled appreciatively, standing back up on his feet and gently touching the wrap.

"No problem. You can pay back during lunch while we're out today." Goten grinned, hands on hips. "So get some clothes on and we'll head out."

Mirai blinked, then drooped his head, sighing. There was no escape. He made a move to grab something, but had a sudden realization. "Oh... I have no other clothes. That shirt that's all torn and bloody was my only one." He said, rubbing the back of his head embarrassingly, as Goten sweatdropped.

"Huh, I guess we'll have to raid Trunks' closet then."

Mirai frowned. "Is he not coming with us? Wouldn't it be better to ask?"

Goten titled his head thoughtfully. "Well, when I finally found him, he said he didn't want to go out today. He was kind of moody." The black-haired boy looked up at the ceiling, rubbing his chin. "Then he went into your gravity room thing, which was kind of surprising. I mean, he trains, but he was never as serious as he was today." Hopping from one foot to the other, the younger one continued. "I was thinking maybe it was the tournament, but we never take those seriously since we have to let Mr. Satan win anyways."

Mirai raised an eyebrow at the seemingly familiar name. "Mr. Satan...?"

Goten blinked. "Oh yeah, you haven't met him yet. He's Videl's dad and to tell you the truth, but don't actually tell," Goten's voice dropped to a whisper low enough that Mirai had to lean forward, "He's a bit of a nutcase. You'll meet him tomorrow for sure, so don't worry about it. Now let's get some clothes." Gently, but firmly, the younger of the two pushed the other boy out of the room.

_Downtown in West City- Main Street- 1: 22 PM_

"So I shown you our school, some shops and other places Trunks and I usually hang out, so let's get some food." Goten cheered happily, leading the way for the uncomfortable and hesitating follower.

Mirai looked around at the busy streets, as people walked by in business suits or holding piles of shopping bags. Traffic seemed to be pretty heavy, honking and shouting could be heard over the buzzing sounds of the people chattering. Children ran around unattended, dangerously close to the roads, which unnerved Mirai even more as he tried to keep a wary eye on them. Unfortunately, Goten seemed to have a steel grip on the older boy's wrist as he dragged him through the bustling crowd.

"G-Goten, wait, slow down" Mirai tried calling out, reaching out with his free hand to grab hold of the black-haired boy's sleeve.

"We're here!" Goten merrily shouted, halting in his place, causing Mirai to unintentionally crash into him, forcing the both to topple over onto the ground, much to the passerby's amusement.

The older of the two grunted, picking himself up and realized that he was literally straddling the young Son. Eyes nearly bulging, Mirai leaped off of him, tumbling backwards. "S-Sorry, I didn't mean to do-" He stopped, confused at the laughter coming from the other.

"Ha ha, you should've seen the look on your face!" Goten chuckled, wiping tears from the corner of his eyes. "You're way too tense, man. You gotta lighten up some!" Standing back up, he politely held out his hand, grinning.

Mirai blushed out of embarrassment, but was internally glad that Goten was being kind about it. Smirking, he grabbed hold, allowing himself to be pulled up and followed the other into the diner.

_Brief's Household- Gravity Room/Training Facility- 2:06 PM_

Punching in the air, Trunks could feel the pressure getting heavier with every move. Viciously wiping away the sweat trailing down his handsome face, the short-haired boy breathed heavily, body bent with hands resting on his knees.

He had a feeling that Mirai could train at a level higher than this.

Growling, Trunks charged, skidding on his feet to a stop and tossed a ki blast. Immediately, he threw himself in front of it, arms up in defense. He grunted at the force, but ignored the pain searing through his muscles.

He will prove himself worthy. Mirai Trunks will be nothing once he was through.

_Downtown in West City- Main Street Diner- 2:29 PM_

Mirai couldn't help but stare as his black-haired friend hurriedly munched through his meal, filling that seemingly bottomless stomach. Sure, he eats a lot himself, but the Son family was really something when it came to mealtime.

Chuckling, the long-haired man tried to cover his mouth, but Goten noticed too soon and put up a puzzled look. "Aren't you hungry Trunks?" He asked through mouthfuls of chicken, digging into a fresh bowl of rice.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help noticing the uncanny resemblance between you and Goku." Mirai commented casually, poking at his egg rolls. They just didn't look quite edible. "No offense, I mean. Goku's a great guy and you are too."

Goten swallowed, gazing at the other boy contemplatively. "Huh... well, a lot of people say that, I guess."

"Does that bother you?"

Tapping the edge of the ceramic bowl, Goten stared at the crumbs in the bottom. "It's not that... I mean, yeah, my dad's a great guy, but... he doesn't seem much like a father."

Mirai blinked, setting aside his inspection of the teriyaki sauce. "What do you mean? I mean, if you don't mind me asking..."

"Nah, it's okay." Leaning back with hands crossed behind his head, the younger boy curled his lip reflectively. "For the first seven years of my life, my dad was dead. Gohan pretty much played both big brother and father to me, but obviously, it wasn't enough. Then, I finally met him for the one day they granted him to visit us. He was warm and friendly, and we clicked... sort of.

"I mean, we got along really well and everything, but it didn't seem real. Well, there's the fact that he was dead and all, but the actual relationship seemed so fake." Goten sighed, leaning forward, arms stretched out in front of him. "During that whole confusion battle with Buu, he just kept coming and going before he finally left for good. But in the end, he was given granted life again and so he came back to live with us, which was great, you know? I mean, I got to hang out with my dad and talk to him and stuff.

"As I grew up though, all he wanted to do was train or eat. Yeah, I like doing both of those things, but I wanted to do other stuff. I don't mean this the wrong way, but you're aware of how... naive he tends to be." Trunks nodded, so Goten continued, "So, it was more like, he didn't really get everything I would say to him and just kind of... laugh it off. Then Gohan and Videl had Pan, who is great, I mean, I have absolutely no problems with her, but dad started devoting all his time with her. I mean, yeah, he's a grandfather and all, but dad has a one-track mind, so it kind of felt like Pan was just put in my place and now he thinks he should focus all his attention on her.

"Which is where Trunks and I got really close, nearly inseparable. Seriously, I would give up my life for that guy." He smiled, eyes softening. "Trunks is a great guy and I'm glad to have him as a best friend, but... we still have our differences, you know? So it's kind of hard that whenever I get kind of moody about dad or school or whatever, he just thinks I'm doing it on purpose for attention or something."

Goten finally looked away from his hands to look at the older man. "You guys may look alike, but you're very different. Almost opposites, you know?"

Mirai felt his eyes widen, taken aback that Goten took notice of it. And here he was thinking that Goten was using him as Trunks' replacement for the day.

Rubbing the back of his head bashfully with one hand, Goten grinned a bit nervously. "I can't really explain it, but there's something very comforting about you. I mean, I haven't really told anyone else about my feelings about my dad... well, except you, obviously."

Mirai reached over, placing a hand over Goten's outstretched one. "Thank you for trusting me. I'm not sure how I can be of much help, considering my lack of having a father-son relationship with Vegeta, but I promise to be here for you if you need anything at all... while I'm here, of course." Releasing his hand, Trunks picked up the check. "Let me pay and then we can head out."

_Brief's Household- Outdoor Patio- 9:38 PM_

Goten finally went home, figuring his mom would probably flip if he stayed another night. Mirai decided that he took a liking towards the younger of the two Son brothers, though he'll always have a strong bond towards Gohan.

The time traveler frowned, leaning his head against the structure of the house, balancing himself with ease on the wooden railing. His relationship with Gohan... not _this_ present Gohan, no... the Gohan he was thinking of was his master. His mentor, brother, father, partner, friend, everything when he had nothing else (aside from his mother, that is). He was always there for him, training him, teaching him, listening to him.

And then he was gone. In a flash, literally speaking.

So, in this time period, although he really had no place, Goten is perhaps his closest friend as of now. Almost an exact replica of Goku, his father, Goten is a warm, friendly guy with a very open-minded personality and pleasant attitude. Unlike Goku, Mirai noted, Goten wasn't all that innocent and he detects actions and feelings in a person that would catch one completely off-guard, as if it was second nature to him.

The younger male Son made claims of how Trunks somewhat filled that hole left by Goku. Best friends for life... a similar connection to what Mirai shared with his master Gohan...

Speaking of which, as Mirai rolled his head sideways to look at the doorway of the patio and watched the newcomer step out. Sweat was riveting down his muscled arms, seeping through his sleeveless shirt. Short, purple hair that was somehow lighter than his own hung in front of his eyes, hiding them from view.

The older man quirked an eyebrow, briefly wondered if the boy was sleepwalking again, until Trunks made his way over towards him. Pausing just a few inches from his seat, the younger boy raised his head, staring blankly at the other one. Leaning forward, he placed his arms gently, too softly, on top of Mirai's outstretched legs, making the older boy intensely uncomfortable, yet he did nothing to acknowledge that. Staring out towards the darkened, empty backyard where Bulla's play set stood, swings creaking from the breeze, almost tauntingly, Trunks was disturbingly quiet.

"Mother..." He spoke up melodiously, Mirai twitching slightly in response, "would always tell me bedtime stories when I was little because I had the worst time falling asleep. They were continuously hero stories, you know, the 'brave knight in shining armor' sort of things. Except they were never fantasy fairytales... they were true stories about real people."

Mirai remained quiet and indifferent, but he could feel his discomfort growing. Feeling the younger boy's weight on his legs weren't helping much either, needless to say.

"There were many stories about Goku and Gohan, an occasional one about father if I asked, and the others, like Krillin and Piccolo, were also put in the seemingly eternal legends about slaying the evil doers from space. But her favorite ones to tell... were about a time traveler who saved the future from Earth's ultimate destruction."

Swallowing, Mirai tried to back up, despite there being a wall pressed against him from behind. He had a strange feeling that this wasn't going to be a pretty scene, especially noting the slight smile on the boy's face. Something was wrong...

"She never spoke his name, but I knew that I had some connection with this guy. This godly being that come from the sky. When I was younger, I had dreams of being like the others and becoming the savior of the world. Especially when she spoke of the time traveler... something in her voice and eyes when she looked at me, as I absorbed all the information I could... I knew I had to become just like this mysterious explorer."

Shifting closer, Trunks slid his arms over Mirai's knees so that he now leaned on to his thighs, elbows digging sharply into the muscles. The long-haired man held his breath as the younger boy turned his gaze to face him directly, still with the small grin.

"So I trained the best I could. To make my father and mother pleased... to show off to Goten... so I could fight alongside with the others. The whole Buu episode was quite exhilarating, I felt like I was practically undefeatable with Goten at my side. A childish outlook, I know, but what else would one expect? I felt strong after that. I thought that perhaps I was reaching the level of that wondrous hero. Years passed, I continued training, confident that I was becoming something that my parents would be proud of."

Then his smile swiftly turned into a scowl.

"Needless to say, it was a bit upsetting to have the truth of how fucking weak I really was slapped in my face." He leaned towards Mirai even closer, the older man feeling the boy's hot breath blowing against his face. "How I was nothing but shit compared to that fucking time traveler."

Mirai gasped, trying to shift away. "Trunks-"

"My efforts were nothing but a fucking waste!" Trunks cut in harshly, hands now gripping onto Mirai's thighs tightly. "I will never become that saintly hero, a man who I idolized for all my life! Everything was shattered in one instant, that one fucking instant during the fight this morning between you and my father!"

"What...?" Mirai gasped out, wincing as Trunks dug his nails deeper into his skin.

"Don't you remember?! It was so brief, it could have been an illusion, but I know it was real. For that one moment you released your rage, I felt as the devil himself appeared, ready to snatch my weak, powerless soul from my useless body. I stopped moving, breathing, when you turned into something demonic, godly, untouchable! Father saw it too! That's why he had to burst in to attack you and make you bleed so you would've snapped out of it. You could've killed us all in that one moment!"

Mirai stared disbelievingly. He knew that the end of the fight was a haze, blurry, nearly obscure, but was that the real reason? It wasn't because of Vegeta's attacks, but his own fault? Like his father and the others who carry blood of the Saiyans, he too has hidden power suppressed deep within him, only to be unconstrained with care. But if Trunks was speaking the truth and for one moment, he let loose...

Lifting a hand, Mirai gently placed it against the younger boy's cheek, causing him to flinch. "Then perhaps the time traveler wasn't truly what he was portrayed as." Sighing, he leaned forward so his forehead was pressed against the Trunks'. "Maybe it's a sign for you to stop being something you're not. Instead, you should try to be who you really are and become a new hero that your mother can tell Bulla about."

* * *

Whee!! Much Goten-Mirai Trunks interaction going on and a Trunks-Trunks confrontation!! Haha, how lovely. Well, next chapter, expect preparation for the tournament and other fun stuff! Oh la la, review please with your opinions! They are desperately needed!! 


	9. Chapter 8

Well, the story is finally being continued. In case you haven't noticed (or didn't care), the first five chapters (including the prologue) were rewritten extensively. There have been a good number of changes within the dialogue, scenes and the story itself, so it is _strongly_ recommended that you read through these rewritten chapters if you haven't already done so. I know it sounds like a pain, but I believe it's worth your time if you're interested in this story. Thank you for your patience and enjoy the brand-new chapter!

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**Containg Thy Self**- Chapter Eight

Brief's Household- Mirai's temporary bedroom- 8:14 AM

Dropping his toothbrush on the nearly bare nightstand, Mirai sighed, realizing what today's event is to be. Tightening the knot to his white towel wrapped around his slim waist, he knelt down by the one of many large shopping bags, courtesy of Bulma, digging through the numerous amounts of clothes.

Grimacing at the bright colors and strange styles, Mirai momentarily wondered if there was a way he could accidentally-on-purpose dump these into a dumpster somewhere without notice. Groaning quietly, he remembered that this was Bulma he was thinking about, who would not only notice the obvious disappearance but would be highly offended as well. He could almost hear her lecturing him now.

Blinking at the dark piece of cloth that stuck between the sunshine yellow and nauseating bubble-gum pink, Mirai dove for it like a man stranded in the desert coming across a puddle of water. Gently, he retracted the black fabric from the evil clutches of the neon world, holding it out for him to inspect. A simple, plain black tank-top, no traces of it being raped by gaudy colors. The time traveler smiled.

"Figures she would replace my original outfit." Frowning, he allowed his sight to scan through the bundles held by simple means of plastic, cursing silently. So he did the only thing that seemed reasonable.

A _whoosh_ was heard from behind, a sound Mirai wondered if he should start expecting this daily as he stumbled over his work, being startled so suddenly.

"Brat, the woman wants-WHAT THE HELL?!" The prince's harsh voice cried out, compelling the younger man into ducking his head in defense, immediately feeling like a child who just did something naughty... not that he did, of course. "What the fuck are you doing?!" The flame-haired man demanded, taking in the wardrobe tornado that appeared to have struck right before his entrance.

"I... I'm looking for clothes." Mirai muttered, blushing once he realized how dumb the response appeared.

Vegeta looked as if he was going to say something completely and utterly insulting just because the situation was practically begging for him to do so, if he had not perceived the black shirt Mirai held protectively in his hands, which virtually opposed the rest of his options. Clearing his throat, the stoic prince turned around, placing a hand against the doorframe. 'Well, the woman wants in the front lobby within a half hour, so move it!"

Watching the door slide back, covering the older man's disappearing body, Mirai sighed, partly relieved of the lecture he managed to avoid receiving.

Brief's Household- Front Lobby- 8:42 AM

Tapping her white-booted foot impatiently, the blue-haired president of Capsule Corps gnawed on her bottom lip. "What's taking so long!? I was done five minutes ago and I'm the one that usually takes the longest!" Growling in an animalistic nature, contrasting her feminine appearance, she curved herself around, ready to stalk up the staircase, if it weren't for Mirai suddenly emerging into view.

"Oh Trunks, you're here!" Gasping, she ran her eyes up and down, scrutinizing the time traveler's appearance. "And how handsome you look!"

"Ah?" He blushed, taking a step back. "I-I do?"

Graced in his familiar black tank-top, he also put on a denim jacket, minus the sleeves, instead giving it frayed edges, the closest he could find to previous gear. Black, loose-fitting pants enveloped his legs, ending with a pair of dark blue boots, much like his orange ones. Perhaps the younger version of his mother was referring to was his hair, which he decided to pull all back in a high ponytail with a few strands escaping the bind.

"Yes, it's so nice to see your face when it's not covered with your long hair." She commented, reaching up to brush back those loose strands. "Not that I don't like your hair, because I do, but a change is nice." Smiling, she then blinked as if she just apprehended something. Grabbing hold of the railing, she shouted up the steps. "Trunks, you're late! We have to sign up and everything by ten o'clock!"

A light tug against the thin fabric of his pants. "Big Trunks." Glancing down, he smiled at the petite blue-haired girl, patting her head. "I think you look handsome too."

"Well, thank you Bulla. I appreciate that." Giving her nose a light pat with his index finger, Mirai quickly snuck his arms underneath her, lifting her up nimbly as she squealed with delight, gripping along the taut muscles of his forearms.

"Mom, seriously, the way you drive, we don't really need to leave until five minutes before the tournament starts." Trunks mumbled negligently through yawns, rubbing his heavy eyelids, as he tromped down the flight of steps.

"Same goes to you brat." Vegeta added with his trademark smirk. "Guess that solves where you learned your driving issues from." Bulla giggled, slapping a hand over her mouth and tried to bury her face against Mirai's broad chest as Trunks scowled at her.

Mirai made no sound, taking note of the dark circles forming under the younger boy's eyes, guilt abruptly filling his mind. He quickly averted his gaze when Trunks started looking towards him.

"Speeding problems or not, we still have to meet the rest of the gang around nine o'clock, so move it!" The blue-haired woman pressed the button for the garage door, waiting for the large steel to break free from the ground, allowing rays of the rising sun to shine through the darkened room.

World Tournament- Front Entrance- 9:12 AM

"Ah, we're finally here once again!" Bulma cheerfully commented, stretching her stiff arms above her head. "Just like old times, eh boys?" Grasping a hold of Bulla's hand, the blue-haired woman turn to grin at the others, the faltered when Mirai came into view. "Oh yes, Trunks, this is your first time, but don't worry, I'm sure you will enjoy it." Giggling, her grin grew wider. "It's all... easy-going fighting."

"Easy-going, huh?" The long-haired boy gave her a small smile in return, making a swift glance at his younger counter-part, signaling her. "I don't know how far I'll make it, but I'm sure I will enjoy it."

"Yes!" With her free hand, she patted her present-time son on the shoulder. "And you, no silly stuff if you fight Goten. No Super Saiyan either, even if he does end up kicking your butt."

Trunks snorted. "Like he could beat me." Despite his slightly haggard appearance, his mother's comments seemed to have lightened him up a bit. "C'mon mom, it's me, Trunks, versus Goten."

"Ho ho, we will see." She smirked at his confidence, one of the few things he truly inherited from both her and his father. "Well then, we shall go meet the others, hm? I'm sure they're probably gathered by the food stalls, knowing Goku."

"Trunks and I will be going ahead and registering. "Vegeta spoke up, with a slight shove against Mirai's back, pushing him forward. Mirai jumped at the contact, stumbling a bit, staring at the flame-haired man confusingly.

"Ah?" Bulma wanted to protest, about to comment on how Mirai hasn't met everyone, until the Saiyan prince gave her a hard, pressed look. She frowned, biting back her objection, despite her confusion. "All right then, we will see you later."

"Hm." The stoic man moved forward, barking at the time traveler to move it, as the rest of the family watched them go ahead.

"Mom?" Trunks spoke, his unspoken question evident in his voice, as he felt a bit irritated that his father didn't bother to bring him along as well.

She forced a grin. "Trunks, let's find Goku, Goten and the others, okay?" Tugging at Bulla's hand, she moved towards the stalls. "Come along now."

The teenager scowled, hating the fact that his parents are determined to keep him in the dark about whatever was conversed between the two, though he did obediently fall into step next to her. The disturbing conversation he had the night before with the time traveler, his supposed future self (no matter what anyone says, it's awkward to have someone who looks exactly like you to randomly appear out of nowhere), continuously replaying in his mind, the sole reasoning behind his lack of sleep. It was unnerving, at the lest, on how calm Mirai acted in the end, a complete flip-flop of that moment during the fight with his father.

"... when you turned into something demonic, godly, untouchable!"

Trunks smirked internally at his own words, the very image still crystal-clear in his mind, and probably will return so for quite some time. Aside from himself and his father, the young man wondered momentarily if anyone had seen that side to him. It was so brief, that it could've been easily imagined, but Trunks knows what he saw, and clearly, so did Vegeta.

There was no denying it. His future self had, for a few seconds, released proof of his hidden power that was to be locked away, deep down, only to be released slowly, steadily, controllably. It was unsettling, yet alluring, to also remember that because future Trunks is present Trunks, he too, had that power within him.

With a bit of guilt, Trunks also remembered quite noticeably that while he felt a bit of... _fear_, as much as he hated to admit it, when Mr. Time Traveler altered his power immensely, he also felt a bit of exhilaration mixed him. With immediate realization, Trunks understood the true meaning behind the power of the hybrids that he, Goten, Gohan and the future man (he would count Bulla, but she doesn't train, and although pan could be grouped with them, she is still quite young, her power limitations still unknown) possessed. It was no wonder why Goku and his father insisted on training so much (though, in Goku's case, he may just sense it or plain liken training itself).

Gohan coming to mind, Trunks wondered if this was perhaps one of the reasons for the oldest son of Goku to quit his training to focus on studying, aside from his mother's nagging and his family. Maybe Gohan realized the potential danger of his power (and Trunks knew Gohan was very powerful in his own right), deciding against training any further, for the sake of keeping his... sanity?

No, that wasn't the right word, he thought, frowning. It wasn't that Mirai went nuts or anything, though the moment was so fleeting, Trunks couldn't be sure, but his power was so... overwhelming. Really, it couldn't be described properly.

"Yo Trunks!" With wide, black eyes coming into view, the purple-haired teen snapped out of his deep thought, blinking. "I've been calling your name for awhile now." Goten stared at his friend with a bit of concern.

Trunks blinked once more, glancing around as he finally realized where he was. A few others, namely his mother and Gohan, were also staring at him with a bit of puzzlement. A couple of others, explicitly Goku, Chi-Chi and Videl, were chattering with Pan, encouraging her for the tournament, while Piccolo stood silently at the side, as usual. And then there was Yamcha, Puar, Tien and Chaozu close by as well.

Blushing slightly, Trunks raised his nose haughtily as a self-defense maneuver. "Well, excuse me for having a moment to myself."

Breaking out a wide grin at the snobby attitude, the black-haired boy smacked his buddy on the back. "Aye, sure, sure. Trying to think of non-cheating ways to beat me incase we fight. I understand." Shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly, the younger one continued, holding back his chuckles. "I mean, you were so desperate when we fought here ten years ago, turning Super Saiyan because you couldn't defeat my awesome fighting skills naturally."

Bulma bit her lip, trying to hold back her laughter as she watched her son raised a fist threateningly. "Trunks, no fighting until the tournament." She managed to gasp out, turning away so he wouldn't see her attempts to control her amusement.

"Goten..." The purple-haired boy started, debating whether to clock him now or wait until he least expects it. "Whining doesn't qualify as a fighting skill, as you dreadfully tried to prove during the fight."

"What!?" Goten's mouth fell open. "Whining!? I don't whine, you asshole!"

"All right children, calm down." Gohan commanded, firmly placing a hand on both their shoulders, sighing. "Really, save your energy for the fights."

"Yeah Goten, save your _whining_ for the battles." Trunks shot out, smirking assertively.

"Pssh, as long as you don't _cheat_ your way through." The black-haired boy replied quickly, also grinning madly.

Gohan was reaching the ends of his patience. "Enough before I clobber the both of you!"

Silence fell between them, bringing a sense of serenity upon the oldest of the three, as he released their shoulders.

"Cheater."

"Whiner."

As the two teenagers grumbled about their newly-formed bumps on their heads, Gohan turned around to face the older, blue-haired woman. "Bulma, good to see you."

"Yes, you too, Gohan. I swear you get taller every time I see you."

"Ah well, can't do much about that." He chuckled, readjusting his glasses that slid down a tad along his nose. "Anyways, where are Vegeta and the other Trunks?"

Bulma blinked, realization flashes in her eyes, as she raised a hand to her lips. Gohan raised an eyebrow at her reaction, briefly wondering if he should've not mentioned them, as Goten popped up at his side. Placing a hand above his eyes, the teenager glanced around. "Yeah, where are Mr. Time Traveler and His Highness?"

The elder brother groaned internally at his boldness, as Bulma opened her mouth to speak up.

"Hey guys!" Another voice broke through, everyone looking up at the newcomers. Goku, with Pan in his arms, leapt forward excitedly. "Krillin! You made it!"

"Of course we did!" The shorter man, his normally dark hair showing obvious signs of graying, beamed. "I've been coming to these things since I was a young teenager, participating or not, why would I stop now?"

"You should enter, Krillin." The taller, now short-haired blonde woman at his side commented calmly, giving everyone an impassive look. "We could use the money."

"No way!" He responded, tossing a hand in the air. "I'm too old for this now."

Bulma gasped sharply, a sudden comprehension rushed over her, unfortunately catching everyone's attention. "Ah, never mind, I just remembered that, uh, I think I left the, umm, stove on! Yes, excuse me!" The blue-haired woman quickly walked away from the group, making an act of pulling out a cell phone out of her purse, while the others shrugged their shoulders and continued with their pleasant chatter.

With some distance away from the gang, Bulma sighed, replacing her phone. How could she have been so careless?! Of course, Mirai had just come from his own time, had _just_ destroyed the androids of his time. He's not going to want to see Eighteen, good or not, just days after killing her future counterpart. Praise Kami that Vegeta takes note of these sorts of things, or else they may have faced a possibly disastrous situation.

While the older woman may not be much of a fighter and didn't experience the things that Mirai had growing up, but she had gone through some particularly difficult situations herself. Along with the fact that she was his mother, regardless of what time period he was from, she understood that Mirai was not in the right state of mind to have unwanted surprises. It was good that Eighteen, while did have her self-destruct mechanism removed, still retained the rest of her cybernetic parts, which allowed her to not be sensed due to her lack of ki, or life force.

But the problem was that she was still around, and Mirai was here for the time being as well, so if a chance meeting between the two were to occur... Bulma sighed deeply, not wanting to think of the consequences of such a moment. For the time being, it would be good to keep Mirai distracted while she would find a later moment to at least explain to the young man that Krillin, was indeed, married to Eighteen, incase he were to question the short man's whereabouts (that is, assuming that Mirai doesn't come across Krillin here himself, which she prayed for).

Which provided a possible solution for the time traveler, but Bulma knew that she would have to bring up the topic to the rest of the gang, considering they will eventually see him in the tournament. Taking a deep breath, with fists clenched and unclenched, she turned around, walking back towards the group.

"Oh Bulma!" Goku called out happily. "I just told Krillin that Trunks was here too!"

She must've tripped over something, really, with the sky straight ahead in her line of sight, because she did not just hear her oldest friend say that.

_World Tournament- Registration Desk- 9:28 AM_

"Fa-Vegeta, why did we go ahead?" Mirai questioned, staring at the older man's bent back, whom was signing in their names. "I wanted to see the others."

Restraightening himself, the Saiyan prince placed the pen down with a curt nod towards the registar. He then turned his body slightly, to walk away, Mirai right behind him.

The time traveler was getting impatient. "Veg-"

"No matter what you come across here." Mirai blinked, the stoic man's deep, gruff voice effectively cutting him off. "You must keep your cool and don't let your feelings get in the way."

"My feelings?"

The prince didn't respond, merely continuing his way towards the main center of the tournament, leaving the younger man in a state of puzzlement.

* * *

All right, that's the end of this chapter. Even though it's been pretty obvious from the start, take note that updates are not going to be consistent. But I am NOT abandoning this, for sure. 

Also, realize that they are at the tournament, so various things that have occurred there during the anime/manga will be at least mentioned once more within the story. Of course, with Mirai's presence, things will be changed, of course, and the focus will be on him the majority of the time. So you know, the fight between Goku and Ubuu will be brought up, but as a background event, since it doesn't really pertain to the story itself. So please don't accuse me of simply copying the anime with a few changes made because that's NOT what I'm doing. If you're reading this story carefully, that should be glaringly obvious.

Another thing: Yes, things are going a little slow but it's to provide character development and eventual layouts to future events. Basically, this is to build up to the main story, which, of course, takes place after the tournament. So have patience! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	10. Chapter 9

Over three years later, I reread this story and was like, "Crap… I want to know what happens next." After constantly reminding myself that this is actually my story and I was a lazy ass to leave it like this, I'm attempting to continue this. I don't know if there are any DBZ fans left or at least the readers who have enjoyed this, but I would like to apologize profusely for my disrespectful actions. I can't make any promises at this point (Hell, I shouldn't have made any since the day I started writing any fanfiction!), but I would like to give it another shot.

Also, I realize that it's been a REALLY LONG TIME and I will have to research some (actually, a lot) things in order for it to not only be somewhat canonical, but to just generally make sense overall. Don't get me wrong, I love Trunks. He will always be my first anime love (oh how the purple hair just slays me every time), but I would really like to write and expand on his character in the most reverent manner possible.

I would like to give a million thanks to everyone who has enjoyed and reviewed this story, as well as a huge apology to leaving it hanging. If any of you past readers do return, please enjoy the next chapter. Any new readers… I hope you all enjoy this as well.

**Note**: From my understanding, Eighteen (as well as Seventeen) were originally humans that were altered with android parts by Dr. Gero. With Shenlong, since Krillin's original wish of making them human failed, he instead wished that that bombs inside their bodies were to be removed. Therefore, I'm still under the assumption that Eighteen does not have any external ki that can be sensed by others. If I'm wrong, please disregard my error in the story and just let it pass, lol.

All summaries, explanations, disclaimers, extra notes are in the previous chapters and continually apply to the rest of the story.

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**Containing Thy Self**- Chapter Nine

_World Tournament- Designated Meeting Spot- 9:44 AM_

Bulma tapped her white booted foot impatiently, with arms stiffly crossed and a narrow scowl to match. She purposely had her rigid body turned away from her oldest best friend, not so much because she was angry at him, but more so for the fact that he did the very thing she feared happening.

Goku didn't really understand the possible destructive act he might have just committed, although it did essentially apply to a good majority of the unsuspecting group in tow (Hell, she had a lacking moment of foresight herself); however, with the physical appearance of the one person who could innocently spark the rampant emotional fuse that's probably been waiting to explode and still no clear signs of 'OH, DUH' recognition, the older woman had to forcefully separate herself for a moment's thinking.

'_Okay, think Bulma Briefs. Thank Kami for Vegeta and his quick thinking. I thought I was the genius, damnit! Eighteen has made her appearance and while CLEARLY is no longer an evil android hell bent on destroying everything that comes her way, Trunks doesn't know that and I'm such a moron for not mentioning that earlier. Actually, knowing Vegeta, he'll probably just give my poor boy some vague, obscure warning because he's an asshole like that! And Goku knows that I'm pissed at him but he doesn't know WHY and I can't just explain it to him in front of everyone because even if I pulled him into privacy, he would do a terrible act of acting innocent about it to the others because he's so transparent with all his actions and words! Okay, deep breaths… count to three… turn around and let's work something out.'_

Turning on her heel with a bright smile (pearly whites showing, of course) plastered on her clearly strained expression, Bulma greeted the rest of the troupe a little too enthusiastically. "Well then, is everyone super excited about the tournament!"

Most of the group saw through this, mentally wondering what issue had come up (probably Vegeta being a stick in the mud or Bulla forgetting her toy, or maybe even Trunks discovered some sort of imperfection in his otherwise, self-enthused, perfect features and was throwing a fit), until the graying short man spoke up.

"So it's true?" Bulma perked up in attention, waiting for the further clarification. Krillin cleared his throat (uncomfortably?), starting up again. "Trunks from the future… well, not so much the future… the other timeline, I suppose... is here then?"

The blue-haired intellect nodded slowly, eyes widening at the clear indications of her friend Krillin's uneasy look.

He sighed, a little heavily, fully understanding the trouble with the current situation. "Well… Bulma, it's inevitable. We," gesturing towards himself, Eighteen and his blonde-haired daughter, "could separate from you guys, but…" The man trailed off awkwardly, scratching his no-longer-bald head.

"Oh…" Gohan sort of muffled a gasp, eyes darting back and forth between the discomforted conversing (but not really) pair. "Oh! Bulma, Krillin… Eighteen! I'm so sorry; I can't believe this didn't come to mind until just now!"

Using one hand to remove his thick-rimmed glasses and the other to vigorously rub at his closed eyes, Gohan groaned. "He just came back from his time… JUST RETURNED after defeating the enemies…" In which his eyes quickly glanced at Eighteen, who tactfully evaded the gaze by staring at the grayed stones inlaid within the pathway. Replacing his glasses on the bridge of his nose, he gave a hard stare to everyone. "This isn't going to work out."

Among the few that didn't quite grasp the seriousness of the situation, Goten piped up out of curiosity. "Wait a minute, wait… hold on guys. Some of us ain't getting this." Raising his hands, waving them in a gesturing circle, he continued, "You can't just leave us in the dark. Something happened before which is why all of you are getting bent out of shape about it? And if it doesn't get resolved, something even worse is going to happen?"

"More like somebody is gonna flip a lid and go all gung-ho crazy on our asses if he returns now." Startled by his sudden but comprehensible comment, a good portion of the group turned their gaze towards Yamcha, who shrugged almost carelessly in response. "Either we gotta split or let it happen."

Eighteen, who clearly had enough with the tension practically building a stone fort around her, firmly grabbed her husband by the shoulders. "Krillin, let's just go ahead. He's entering the tournament, right? We can sit in the audience still and since I don't have any ki, he won't be able to sense me, whether he was actively looking or not."

The physically shorter significant other stared back at her dead-panned blue eyes and placed a hand on her own. "This is why I married you."

Receiving a barely audible snort in response, although the corners of her lips were being tugged upwards, Krillin raised his hand to the others. "Alright, we will go ahead and get ourselves some seats. Catch ya later!" Tossing a wink, he followed his blonde-haired family to disintegrate with the rest of the oppressive swarm of people.

Bulma sighed in relief, picked up her daughter who has been tugging relentlessly on the skirt of her dress for the past five minutes, and straddled her on her left hip. "Well, I suppose that's one way to do it."

"Umm…" Goten spoke up once again; clearly displeased and only more confused by the way his eyes were narrowing. "Some of us still don't understand…"

Goku, possibly because Kami decided to shine his guiding light on him at that moment or maybe the situation had to actually end before he could understand the danger he threw offhandedly in the beginning, suddenly slapped the sides of his face with his hands. "HOLY CRAP!"

While some of them sighed (should they really be surprised by now?), Bulma raged.

Kicking him in the side, although obviously with no physical effect, she started yelling at a level Chi-Chi would be proud of (actually, the dark-haired wife of the oldest Son was nodding proudly from the side at this action). "THINK, GOKU! WHY CAN'T YOU EVER THINK!" Vigilantly supporting her daughter fully on one side, she used her free hand to give him another smack on the arm (that should be stated, at this point, is pretty much like smacking a steel pipe). "Why didn't any of us think?"

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" The oldest Son cried out fearfully, cowering at the ever-growing rage of his blue-haired friend.

"I hate you!"

"Don't hate me please!"

"What's all the commotion?"

Everyone swung around, only to see a flame-shaped, dark-haired man and a taller, but younger purple-haired man standing next to each other, watching the scene with mild interest or disinterest. Mirai was scratching the side of his face with a finger, uncertainty crystal clear in his blue eyes. "Did something… is something wrong?"

"Well, actually-" A hand slapped over Goten's mouth, as Gohan wrapped his other arm around his brother's shoulder. Forcing a smile to Mirai, he stated hurriedly, "Nothing, nothing! Father said something silly and you know your mother, reacting like it's something ridiculous when it's really nothing new." He chuckled, tightening his grip while Goten gagged. "Excuse us for a moment, I need to teach my little brother a few things about manners."

Trunks watched this scene with a constricted expression, his cobalt eyes darting between the disappearing Son brothers and his alternate counter-part who was standing idly at the side with nothing but confusion written all over his face. While he didn't particularly get the entire story, he had a guess or two (deriving from his mother's stories in the past and things his father had briefly mentioned) at what was happening.

His frown deepened.

Another reason added to the list of why that bastard shouldn't be here.

_World Tournament- Unspecified spot- 10:12 AM_

Dragging him deep into the crowd, Gohan moved quickly and smoothly, somehow managing to navigate around the pedestrians like liquid. When he deemed themselves to be far enough out of a Saiyan's hearing range, he released his choke-hold (here, Goten gasped for a breath or two) and spun him around, hands gripping the shoulders tightly. "Listen and listen well. No talking back or interrupting until I'm finished."

He leaned forward a little closer, making himself at eye level with his younger brother, waiting for Goten's dutiful nod, "I can't possibly explain the entire situation to you right this second and I know mother or I didn't bother to go into any major details, but there are… issues between Eighteen and Trunks."

"In the past? Like a romantic involvement?"

The older one snorted, almost laughing at the impossibility of the idea. "The very opposite, actually. To put briefly, Eighteen… was a bad guy, along with her twin brother. Once upon a time, there were two androids who gave devastating, murderous onslaught to the entire Earth, rendering the planet into nothing more than an apocalyptic wasteland with very minimal survivors. That's the world Trunks lives in."

Goten's eyes widened, his jaw dropping just a bit. "You mean… everything is destroyed? Everyone is dead?" Blinking, he slapped a fist in the palm of his other hand in comprehension. "Oh! When he first got here, he said something like that!"

Gohan nodded curtly. "The only people left of our group in his world are himself and Bulma. The rest of us are either dead or were just never born. However, in our time, we managed to overcome all this and, as you can see, Eighteen is clearly no longer evil. Plus, it was seventeen years ago when it happened."

Goten nodded, understanding the acceptance of previously evil guys to join the Earth-friendly fighters for peace and love (no, not really).

"On the other hand, in Trunks' case, he just killed Eighteen and her brother just before coming here... well, and Cell too. If he were to see the very thing he struggled against for over twenty years and finally destroyed, right here and now… how do you think he will react?"

"Go bat-shit crazy and kill everything in sight?"

"Well, not quite… actually, yeah, something like that. That's actually very likely."

The younger one appeared thoughtful for a moment. "So… how come I was never told any of this before?"

Gohan seemed taken aback by the question, quickly realizing that he never actually came up with a reason to not tell it.

He just simply never did.

"I guess… we didn't think it mattered. Also, it would be hard to explain that a woman we consider part of our group while you were growing up, was previously an android ready to kill everything." He sighed as he released his brother's shoulders, mentally knocking himself in the head for a poor excuse. "I'm sorry, Goten. I don't really have a decent explanation. To be honest, I haven't really told Videl about the androids either. Just about Cell since her father was involved and all."

Goten nodded again, his contemplative expression still evident. "Alright, I get it. Trunks is cool… I don't want to see him lose his sanity." He heaved a sigh, shrugging his broad shoulders. "Well, it can't be helped. I feel bad for Krillin, but what must be done, has to be done."

Gohan knocked his brother on the head lightly, chuckling. "Listen to you, trying to act like the big man on campus." Letting his hand rest momentarily on top of that thick head of choppy black hair, he made an apologetic smile. "In all seriousness, I'm sorry that I never said anything. If you want, I can tell you the whole story at a later time, since it's only fair for you to know about what's happened in the past. Actually, I'm surprised that our Trunks has never mentioned it."

"Well…" the younger one trailed off, arms crossed over his chest and one hand raised to tap a finger against his chin. "He talked about these 'bedtime stories'," in which Goten makes the quoting sign with his middle and index fingers, "his mom would tell him before, mostly because I think Bulma was obsessed with the idea that her son is… _was_ a grand hero." He shuffled his feet nonchalantly, the treads in his sneakers scraping against the rough pavement. "But… it's not so much that I didn't really believe them, but I think Trunks'… uhh, his earlier fascination with them was a little strange."

"Strange? How so?"

"He just… hmm, he just had this idea that he had to become this hero, you know? Like it was implied that being this guy was his destiny. And now that he has met the man of the stories, he feels like… less of a man?"

"No, I get it." Gohan's handsome features slowly formed into something resembling disappointment. "It's obvious that Bulma didn't intend to put ideas in his head but knowing her, she probably went a little overboard. It doesn't help that Vegeta likes to pressure people as well."

He exhaled heavily, closing his eyes. "Trunks was visually and physically molded into something before he was even born. It's not his fault, of course, but it's obvious that he feels inadequate."

The black-haired, muscular Son brothers were silent, mulling over the said statement.

"Oh well!" Goten exclaimed, waving a hand casually. "Let's just let it go. I don't think it's really a bad thing. They may be the same person but it's clear that they are very different from each other. Our Trunks will get over it soon enough, methinks."

Gohan arched an eyebrow, briefly wondering if his brother knew something else that he wasn't saying. "If you say so…" Trailing off, his eyes darted from his brother to the direction of where the rest of the group was waiting. "Okay, let's go back. Remember, I'll tell you everything later but say absolutely nothing now. Videl won't say anything and I'm sure our Trunks probably understands what's going on."

Goten promptly saluted, one hand lying horizontally to his forehead. "Aye aye, captain!"

_World Tournament- Meeting Spot- 10:31 AM_

"Well, now that everyone is back together." Bulma clapped her hands together, seeing the Son brothers make their return. "I suppose we should head in and get settled."

Mirai had an uneasy feeling building up, like something was being kept from him. He quickly scanned through his group of friends, looking for any expressions that would give away a sign, but found none. Should he just brush it off?

"Trunks!" Goten called out in a sing-song voice, both of the purple-headed boys turning around in response. "Oh, uh… well, both of you!" He leaped a step to land in between the two, placing a hand on each of their backs to urge them forward. "So what do you think? Think anybody will be worth fighting?"

Trunks snorted. "Please. Unless some evil villain is hiding among all the regular fighters, this is just gonna be another cheap show."

"Well, aren't you a ball of sunshine today?" Turning his head to his other companion, he flashed the famous Son grin. "What do _you_ think, obviously-more-awesome Trunks?"

Mirai sweatdropped at the idea of _another_ nickname already. "Um, well, I don't know. I never this before, so I don't even know what to expect." Lifting a hand to scratch his chin, he pursed his lips thoughtfully. "I hope its fun though. Is that a sufficient answer?"

Goten nodded vigorously. "I like you, obviously-more-awesome Trunks. You're a positive guy, like me." He patted himself on the chest proudly. "You and me, we're a good team. Not like Mr. Pisspot over here."

Trunks rolled his eyes, not bothering to even comment. He knows Goten will get over it in about five minutes or when food gets placed in front of him.

Whichever comes first.

"Alright guys!" Chi-Chi called out, catching everyone's attention. "We split up here so good luck to all of you!" After some farewells, wishes and offensive jabs were thrown, the group split into two, heading their separate ways.

_World Tournament- Meeting Spot for Participants- 11:01 AM_

The usual announcer went over the rules and regulations quickly, and then explained how the assigning of matches will play out. It was a pretty small crowd, only about half the people present were actually paying attention.

Mirai tried to be one of the few respectful members and listen, but he couldn't help himself for staring at the large, pink… _rubber-looking_ creature. Of course, he has seen some strange things and beings in the past, but he's pretty sure this one takes the cake. It's tall, taller than him, and very round. He looks as if you use his stomach as a launch base, everything would bounce right off of it. And why does he have an antenna on his head?

The balding announcer stepped away from his position to reveal a table with a small box sitting on top. "When I call your name, please come forward and draw a piece of paper. That paper will provide a number which will place you on the chart. After everyone has drawn, you will see who battles who in the first round."

Names were called and everyone was placed in their spots. Once everyone was finished (The time traveler saw Goku doing something with the pink guy, but what?), Mirai saw that he would be against someone named Narig.

"Crap! I have to fight Buu?" Goten exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "How is that even fair?"

_"This new enemy had multiple forms, similar to Cell and Frieza, getting stronger as he transformed. Obviously he killed millions of people along the way. It took everyone's strength to finish him off in the end. All of this transpires less than a month's worth of time."_

_"W-Who was this enemy?" He asked suspiciously, the whole thing sounding a little too surreal. Then again, with all the shit he's been through (not to leave out losing everyone except his mother, traveling through time, finding a stronger enemy than the androids and killed by said enemy, only to be revived shortly afterwards and plus some), really, what isn't possible these days?_

_"Buu."_

Mirai raised a hand uneasily, catching Goten's attention. "You said Buu? You mean… the guy you fought some time ago?"

"Hm, oh yeah." He lifted his hand to point. "That guy over there." The purple-haired man turned to look.

The pink guy.

Of course.

"So… despite the fact that he tried to kill everyone and destroy the world… he's innocent, now?"

"Yep!"

Mirai found this to be very discomforting.

* * *

So… yes, I'm sorry. It may have been fairly boring and maybe too detailed and too much deep thought involved. I apologize for that. On other hand, I plan to run through the tournament fairly quickly in the next chapter and move on with the story. I have a few future pieces written so it's a matter of extra details and putting it all together.

For those who were anticipating the meeting of 18 and Mirai… well, let's be honest, it wasn't going to go over well. I don't know if they will meet later on. If he ever does, it won't be pleasant. We all know that.

Thanks for reading!


	11. Chapter 10

Hmm, the tournament chapter. In all seriousness, I don't want to write this because we know what happens, lol. So, it's going to run through fairly quickly and will only touch upon the events that are known about. Don't worry guys; this is about Mirai and Trunks, not Goku and Uub. Also, I'm using the English versions for the names of the fighters. I mean, they're not really that important after this so… yeah.

BY THE WAY, Has anyone seen the 2008 special, "Yo!" Son Goku and His Friends Return!"? I seriously just discovered it like three days ago (well, another reason for my lack of updates was a resulting loss of interest in the series, so I wasn't really actively looking beforehand, haha). I'm at loss for words, lol.

* * *

**Containing Thy Self**- Chapter Ten

_World Tournament- Lobby Hall for Participants- 11:25 AM_

The announcer stood on the fighting platform, speaking to the audience about the upcoming battles and what to expect. While Bulma and company were seated upstairs, Mirai and the rest of the partakers were standing among themselves in the large lobby, either gathered by the arch-shaped entry way or one of the several gaping oval windows to watch.

"Pan!" Goten called out, walking over to his incredibly young niece. "Are you ready for your first fight?"

"Yep!" The tiny girl nodded, her fists clenched in anticipation. "I'm ready to win!"

The dark-haired teen chuckled, raising a hand to pat her on the head. "Woo, good to hear! If we fight, go easy on me, okay?"

She pouted. "But Uncle Goten, I have to do my best!"

"Ah, right." He rubbed his chin slowly. "Well, then try not to beat me up _too_ badly, ah?"

"Yes!"

Mirai smiled from his position by one of the windows, enjoying the light-hearted scene. It stung him a little to realize that they don't exist in his timeline, but he reminded himself that it was_ because of him_ that they are here now. The cue made him feel better, as he mulled over the brief memories of his actions. While it's rough and a little painful, not to mention taxing on both the physical and mental state, time travel certainly did wonders for this world; if he was given the choice of going or not again, he would be in Hope in a flash (literally), no questions asked.

"This is… so very strange." Mirai mumbles, as he gazed around the lobby area, watching as the various competitors started stretching, preparing themselves. He looked up, noticing a high, concave ceiling and then straight ahead, down the stoned hallway. Turning around, he spotted Goten and Trunks leaning against a wooden stand that was propped in the entry way, with Vegeta and Pan by the door frame.

"You look lost." Blinking, Mirai curved his head to the side, only to come across his chosen opponent Narig leaning against the stone wall with hands in his pockets, who watched him in amusement.

"Um…" The purple-haired man paused, debating over his words. "This is the first time I've been to this sort of thing, so it's just… peculiar." He groaned internally at the word. Peculiar? Do people even use that word anymore?

The blonde chuckled. "Haven't heard that one yet. Your first time, you say?" He raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "Your friends seem to be well-adapted."

"Ah, yes." He scratched the back of his head nervously, silently pleading that someone would come over and help him out. "I, uh… never been interested in it before and so… umm, I got suckered into coming around this time."

* * *

"Hey, Trunks is talking to that pretty boy." Goten whispered, feeling his ears perk up at the sounds of the voices behind them. "Trunks sounds nervous."

"Leave them be. I want to see how he socializes with outsiders." Trunks quickly replied, while keeping a cool stare, the black-haired teen could see the curiosity in his cobalt blue eyes.

"Outsiders?" Goten griped, raising an eyebrow at the word. "Nice."

Trunks snorted.

* * *

Narig frowned. "You have fought before though, right?"

"Yes!" Mirai blushed, stuttering a bit. "I mean, I train but I never came to a tournament like this before. I don't…. I mean, fighting in front of a large audience is… unusual for me, I guess you could say." He fidgeted with his hands a bit, trying to keep them in his pockets. "I'm not a very social person, really."

"You seem to be doing all right." The blonde glanced towards the entryway. "I take it you and the other purple-haired boy are related?"

Eyebrows rose at the suggestion, Mirai nodded affirmatively. "Yes, we are brothers."

From their position, Trunks quirked an eyebrow, while Goten stifled his laughter.

The blond-haired boy stared contemplatively for a moment; the purple-haired man briefly wondered if, no matter how reasonable it sounded, maybe this guy could see through his lie; although adding on 'twins' would be more sensible, Mirai didn't want to go overboard with it. "You are…" Narig paused again. "The older one, right?"

The time traveler blinked, not expecting that sort of guess. "How do you figure?"

"Well…" Narig crossed his arms, shifting his eyes towards the other Trunks' back. "The two of you look pretty much identical, but…" His eyes returned to Mirai. "You appear much older… more mature, the way you look and act." Then a sly smile appeared. "Or maybe the other one just seems so much more… childish."

With a loud crack and a yelp, the wooden stand in the entryway was laying on the ground, broken in half. Goten grabbed the older teenager by the shoulders, yelling at him to calm down.

Narig and Mirai watched for a moment, the purple-haired man taken aback, before the blonde spoke up again. "Seems I was overheard. Anyways, I'm going to run to the bathroom so I will speak to you later."

"Ah, yes." Mirai nodded, granting the other man a small smile. "It was nice speaking to you."

"Likewise." He walked down the hallway quickly, disappearing around the corner.

"That son of a bitch!" Trunks growled, struggling against Goten's grip. "Who's he's calling childish! I'll pound that pretty face of his!"

"Come on Trunks!" The black-haired teen complained, squeezing his hold. "Forget it, you said he was just an 'outsider' anyways, so why let it bother you?"

"Fuck that! Nobody calls me childish and gets away with it!"

"Then stop acting like it." Vegeta's deep voice cut in, his younger son freezing in his struggles, as he momentarily forgot about his presence and immediately blushed in humiliation. Brushing off his friend's hands from his shoulder, he moved rigidly into the hallway more to lean against the inside stone wall next to an open window, arms crossed though his cheeks were still glowing with a slight crimson color. Goten, feeling sorry for his buddy, immediately moved to his side, leaning on top of the windowsill that was right at the height of his torso.

Mirai wondered briefly if he should have spoken up, but promptly decided that his words probably wouldn't have had any effect to anyone. Instead, as he chewed on his bottom lip, he took a couple steps forward, to lean against the door frame opposite of his father, though careful to keep his view anywhere but near him.

Although he really wanted to ask him about what happened in the gravity chamber.

'_He would go off on some tangent about being weak again.'_ Mirai thought, frowning a bit.

The announcer finished his speech, naming the first two participants; Pan and Wild Tiger.

"Good luck Pan!" "Go easy on him!" "You can do it!" All the calls came from above, in which Mirai leaned forward a bit to take a look. He saw Chi-Chi practically leaning half-way out the window with her father holding onto her desperately.

"GO PAN! BEAT HIM UP!"

He sweatdropped at the yell, returning to his original position. The fight started and Pan promptly beat her opponent in two blows. The audience was in shock.

"YEAH, THAT'S MY GIRL!"

Goku laughed, in which Mirai turned around to see him at the window closest to the entrance. "No mercy, huh?" Pan jumped up and flew through the window to hug her grandfather, in which he reached up and wrapped his arms around her small body. "Good job, Pan. You did well!"

She beamed brightly. "Thanks Grandpa!"

While he wasn't fully against the idea, he still wondered as to why they were here. Considering how Vegeta knocked out his younger opponent during the selection process and Pan, a tiny 5 year old child, defeated her monstrous opponent in seconds, the purple-haired man failed to see the apparent amusement of fighting against humans. He thought about how pleasant Narig was to him, who returned from the restrooms and was standing at another window. Mirai wasn't exactly sure, but he was pretty certain he could see some uneasiness in the blonde's expression.

How exactly is this supposed to be fun for him? His purpose in life is to protect the humans, not fight them.

"Whoa!" He heard Goten suck in a breath in surprise. Mirai looked outside to see Goku already fighting against his opponent named Uub, who was brawling back shockingly well. The time traveler wondered if the boy wasn't human. He looked human enough, but then again, so do Saiyans.

"So this was what Kakarot was talking about." The purple-haired man glanced over at his alternate timeline father, who was mumbling under his breath while his dark eyes were glued to the battle.

After some time, Goku stopped and said a few things to the dark-skinned, skinny boy, who looked fairly hesitant. Then the boy was suddenly on Goku's back, who flew over to all them.

"Well, Uub and I are going to go train."

It was Gohan's turn to lean out the window. "Wait, Father, what are you talking about? Are you leaving now?"

"Yep! Pan, work hard for me, okay?"

The little girl suddenly understood what her grandfather was saying and her eyes watered. "Are you leaving forever, Grandpa?"

Goku lifted a hand to pat his granddaughter on the head, and then giving her cheek a pinch. "I'll be back, don't worry. I don't know when but you'll definitely see me again."

"Dad?" Goten walked to the entrance, stepping outside. "Seriously?"

The dark-haired man nodded, placing a hand on his younger son's shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

"G-Goku!" Chi-Chi called out, distress all over her face. "But why?"

"I'm sorry Chi-Chi." Briefly, the older man had a look of sadness in his eyes, before flashing a Son smile. "So long everyone!"

With Uub still on his back, the hero and his apprentice flew into the sky, quickly disappearing from sight.

"This is bullshit." Goten muttered, stomping back inside. Trunks quickly placed an arm around his friend's shoulders. "I shouldn't be surprised, but still."

"I agree." The purple-haired teenager nodded, trying to offer comfort.

"Trunks." Mirai looked over to see Narig coming over to him. "I don't really understand what just happened but I'm assuming that you're at the same level as the others here."

Mirai was having a fleeting debate over whether to say something to Goten or not, but Narig proved to be a useful intervention. "Same level?"

"The older man punched his opponent and sent him flying without even looking during the drawing, a little girl defeats a fully grown man in two hits, and this guy steals his battle mate only to _fly_ away… I'm fully aware of beings that are not human in this world but you guys… are something else. I can almost feel the intensity burning off of you." The blonde explained, shifting uncomfortably. "I don't know you or what you are but I know that if I enter in that arena with you, I won't last longer than a minute."

Blinking, the time traveler swallowed. "I… I suppose this is true. Truthfully, I was uneasy with entering because of the unfairness in the matches." Wringing his hands out of nervousness, Mirai looked at his companion. "I'm sorry."

Narig shrugged. "It's not like it's your fault or anything. Really, it's my decision on what I do." He politely held out his hand with a small smile. "Even though you're probably freakishly scary like the others, you seem like a good man. I'm to glad to have met you."

"Ah, yes!" Mirai grabbed his hand firmly, shaking it. "Even though it was brief, it was a pleasure talking with you."

"Agreed. Maybe we'll meet up again." He tossed a wink, strangely enough, and walked away. Mirai watched him disappear down the hallway, frowning as he felt a mix of emotions; there was a hint of pride in the recognition of his strength, but it was mostly guilt and shame due to the idea that he frightened someone for that strength.

"Wow Trunks." Mirai turned around to see Goten, who seemed to recover from his earlier bout of anger. "Like father, like son. You both 'defeat' your opponents before your matches even start."

"Apparently." He responded lightly, a scowl still remaining. He glanced around the lobby, noticing there was only one human opponent left, who more or less looked a little nervous. Otherwise, it was himself and the remaining members of the group. The reality of this was nothing short of irritating as Mirai felt himself growing more and more aggravated. "I'm sorry, I'm going to have to leave."

"Why? What's wrong?"

Trunks stepped up. "Mad that your new-found boyfriend left?" Goten frowned, elbowing him in the side.

"No, although I would much rather be around him than someone like yourself." Mirai shot back, his tolerance for the younger teenager reaching its limit.

"We're the same person, idiot." Trunks took another step forward, wanting nothing more than smashing his fist in this person who proclaims to be some time traveling war hero. "Getting rid of me would be getting rid of yourself. I'm so sorry that you find the both of us not up to par to your preferred company."

Suddenly, without warning, Trunks felt his back slam up against the stone wall, the structure cracking and crumbling behind him. Mirai had one hand fisted in the material of Trunks' tank top, knuckles pressing into his chest and a few sparks forming. His eyes blazed with anger as he leaned forward to the younger one's face, staring at him straight in the eye.

"We may be the same being in the biological sense, but I could _never_ align myself at the same level with someone that has such a lazy disposition and arrogant, disgusting attitude." Trunks reached up to try pushing away, but yelped when a power surge struck his hand. "Ever since I arrived here, you've been nothing but whiny brat who bitched and moaned about the simple pleasures in life, complained that everything wasn't handed to you on a silver platter, and fretted over the idea that someone was trying to steal your honor, _which you don't even deserve to have in the first place._"

"Hey…" Goten walked up to the fighting duo slowly, hands raised in an act of self-defense. "Wait, Trunks… calm down."

"I spend my days watching innocents get their heads blown off and you get upset because maybe that one store defiled your pride by not having a certain color for a T-shirt." Trunks flinched, not so much because there was a slight truth in his accusation, but more at the sudden graphic image of murder. "All you really been these past few days, just like this so-called tournament game that _should_ be an absolute delight for you to flaunt your self-obsessed image, was nothing, but a complete waste of my time." Releasing his iron-grip, Trunks staggered away some, staring at the taller look-alike edgily.

Goten gulped while Vegeta passively watched the events occurring from the back.

Mirai pointed at Trunks with a gleam of threat flashing in his cobalt blue eyes. "Stay the hell away from me unless you decide to redeem yourself." He lowered his hand, turning around. "I'm leaving." He stalked off to the closest window, placing one foot on the windowsill and pushed himself out to fly off.

Goten felt a tug on his pants, in which he looked down to see his young niece. "Uncle Goten." Her eyes watered once more and her hand was a little shaky. "What's going on?"

"Oh Pan." He knelt down to scoop her up into his broad arms. "Sorry hon, things are just getting… difficult, I think. Hard to say."

Trunks rubbed at his chest, noticing the tears in the cloth material as well as a few burn marks along the skin from energy sparks. He was speechless, as well as humiliated. His pride was hurting, because although the older man may have had some truth to his choice words, it was unnecessary and Trunks felt completely undeserving of the allegation. His eyes glanced at Goten soothing the young girl, and then landed on his father.

Vegeta was expressionless, as usual, although his eyes that now faced the ground, has hardened. Unexpectedly, he pushed himself away from the door frame, arms still crossed as he faced the outside. "I don't care what you decide to do." Trunks blinked, staring at his father. "You can stay or go. I will be making my leave." With that and a small blast of energy, he too, shot into the air.

A few yelps and a loud 'VEGETA' was heard from above, along with some stomping around. Trunks rested his gaze on Goten once more, frowning. "I guess… we don't have to stick around."

The black-haired boy nodded, biting his bottom lip. "Yeah, but… I dunno, should we stay? I feel bad that half the fighters left and the audience is waiting for a somethi-"

"I don't care about the _fucking tournament!"_

Goten jumped back, one hand covering Pan's one ear while pressing the other side against his chest. "Really now? Could you please try to control your mouth?"

"She'll learn it eventually anyways!" Trunks stopped, taking a deep breath. "Alright, forget it, I just… don't really care anymore."

"Are you leaving?"

"Yeah." His handsome features contorting into a grimace. "Trunks is right about one thing; this tournament being a huge waste of time."

"B-But what about me?"

Trunks turned around, waving a hand. "Do whatever you want."

"Wait, Trunks!" It was too late though, as Trunks disappeared through the doorway. Suddenly, pounding could be heard as the entire company of his friends that were upstairs appeared at the other end of the lobby hall, running towards the dark-haired teenager and Pan.

"Goten!" Chi-Chi exclaimed loudly, taking a glance around. "What's going on? Why did everyone leave?"

"Well…" Goten handed Pan to her mother, Videl while using his other hand to scratch the back of his head. "I got mad when Dad left, then older Trunks' opponent dropped out, and then both of the Trunks got in a fight." He glanced at Bulma, who gasped and raised a slim hand to her mouth. "Well, it was more older Trunks telling our Trunks that he sucks, then older Trunks left through the window. Vegeta got all worked up and left. Then I was trying to comfort Pan and our Trunks got mad, leaving as well. And… well, then you guys showed up."

"Why did Trunks get mad with our Trunks?" Gohan asked, taking off his glasses to focus on his brother. "Goten, what's going on?"

The teenager fidgeted a little, feeling a mix of guilt and confusion. "Well, I don't really get what's going on… our Trunks doesn't like older Trunks because… I dunno, he's 'in the way' or something. Older Trunks just kind… ripped him apart. Err, figuratively, I mean!" He cried out, seeing some eyes widen in shock. "I mean, older Trunks just uh…" He gestured over to the impressively large cracking dent in the stone wall. "He got mad, slammed our Trunks into the wall, said some things and then left."

"Why was he mad?" Bulma asked quietly, crossing her arms.

"Um… our Trunks just… says stupid things. I don't think older Trunks felt like dealing with him anymore." Goten frowned as his gaze shifted to the floor. "Our Trunks is hard to deal with lately… I don't get where this hate is coming from. I understand the competitive part, but there's something else. I dunno what it is though."

* * *

Temper, temper. Well, hopefully this made up for the boring chapter I posted before. Things are getting EXCITING! Take note that action and dialogue are different from what was read in the manga or seen in the anime. I'm not going to copy word-for-word what Goku said in his farewell. Therefore, I made up my own version of this, so I hope you guys didn't mind it too much.

Also, question regarding the rating. It's rated T but I'm wondering if maybe I should up it to M for language? I don't think it's too bad but I don't wish to offend anyone. Let me know what you think!

Again, please review if you liked it! Or if you have any criticism. I am open to all comments!


	12. Chapter 11

Okay, before I start this chapter, I just want to say something. I really enjoy writing this story, but I have absolutely NO CLUE if you guys do. Fanfiction's traffic statistics will tell me that I got over 60 visitors for the last chapter I wrote, but I only got 4 reviews. I have no idea if the rest of you like it? I'm assuming that you guys like it since you're continuing to read (yes?), but I would like to know some opinions. Is there anything that you like or dislike? Anything that I should reconsider writing about or maybe someone is acting too OOC for you? Maybe something that you hope to see? LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! I love to hear what you guys think; any sort of criticism is welcome. I don't expect you to review every single chapter, of course, but even just one comment to tell me what you think. I would really, truly appreciate it. I don't want to stop writing this if it feels like nobody likes it.

I would like to give thanks to I-Love-Trunks1, Blux, Dweeni, and Blume as well as all the others who sent a review for chapter 9 for your comments. Thank you for your opinions, I really appreciate it. Hope you enjoy this next one!

Note: I'm using italics for both occasional thoughts (for a first person POV) and events/quotes from 'the past' (as in, the past chapters) as I reference back. Just make sure you take notice of the difference.

* * *

**Containing Thy Self**- Chapter Eleven

_**Desolate area- 1:34 PM**_

Mirai stood on top of a large boulder, looking out at the empty wasteland. His eyes quickly scanned the land, looking for any signs of life, and then took a deep breath. Shaking his head, he knelt down to take a seat on the edge.

He was furious with himself. What right does he have to take out his frustration on others in such a violent manner, especially to Trunks? He should be more composed, more disciplined, for Kami's sake! The younger one is just a teenager; of course he's going to act out.

The time traveler sighed heavily. This just proves that he can't stop training. He may be getting stronger physically, but his mental state is still pathetically weak.

_**Somewhere in the sky, exact location unknown- Same time**_

He was livid. Where did that guy get off on telling him that he didn't deserve any honor? That so-called time warrior might have seen some crazy stuff, but so had he as a child! The whole fiasco with Buu ended with almost every single being on the planet _dead_! His father _killed himself_ for nothing!

Trunks knew a thing or two about emotional anguish. He might be living in peace now, but he still remembered the agony like it was yesterday.

The purple-haired teenager paused in his flight, taking a glance down at the city below. He watched as hundreds of people stroll around innocently, enjoying their lives without any worries. He smiled briefly, enjoying the peaceful scene. Then in a flash, Trunks remembered his earlier argument which made him even more enraged. With no particular destination in mind, he shot off into the sky once again.

_**West City- Capsule Corporation/Brief's Home- 8:12 PM**_

Opening the front door, Trunks step through the doorway, pausing to see who was home. He sensed his mother and sister in the kitchen, and his father down further in the bathroom. He did not perceive the other Trunks, however; in which he let out a breath in relief.

"Mother, I'm home!" The short-haired boy called out, making his way down the hall. Bulma rushed out of the room, stopping in her tracks to give her son a quick once-over, and then continuing her stride to give him a harsh smack on the arm.

"Where have you been!" She shouted as her face twisted in anger. "I've been worried sick because nobody knew where you flew off to and Goten said every time he tried to find you, you would fly off further!"

Trunks cringed, feeling the heat of his mother's rage. "I'm sorry, I was just really angry and I didn't want to be around anyone for awhile." He probably shouldn't mention how he destroyed some land out of a fit of anger. Of course, nobody got hurt although there might be some news about bits of property damages in the morning.

Not his fault, certainly.

The blue-haired woman stopped, lowering her hand. "Well, we heard from Goten what happened." Frowning, she allowed her gaze drift to the side. "The… older Trunks hasn't come back yet."

"Yeah, I noticed." He shifted his feet uncomfortably. "Mother, I'm sorry. I, uh… I don't know how well this is going to work out. I understand that he's stuck here for the time being, but I can't promise to get along with him."

She crossed her arms as her frown deepened. "I get that you two are having pride issues, but you need to get over it!"

Trunks flinched, not exactly what he was expecting in response.

"Listen! Of course you two are different! I understand that there have been things that I said while you were young that may have affected your opinion, but the both of you are grown men and I expect the two of you to act like it! Deal with it!" With that said, she stalked back in the kitchen.

He was shocked. It wasn't so much that he expected her to side with him, but her reaction to the whole situation was just unanticipated. It was like she was treating this like it was a squabble between children!

Raising his hands, he rubbed harshly at his face. He could feel his frustration building up again and felt the desire to crush something. Trunks willed himself to calm down as he forced his fist away from the wall, not really wanted to use his allowance money to fix any damages.

Even though he was pissed, he still wondered where the other one was currently. The teenager didn't really take the time to locate him, but in hindsight, the older man is probably keeping his energy level very low to stay hidden.

For now, at least.

Walking forward, Trunks strolled slowly down the hall, passing the kitchen without a glance, and around the corner to make his way to his bedroom. He saw his father step out of the bathroom just ahead, in which the young boy stopped, although he wasn't really sure why. Vegeta was shirtless with a towel wrapped around his neck, one edge in his hand to wipe at his face. He did have his black spandex shorts on, with socks and dark blue slippers. His father stared at him for a moment, with an unreadable expression. Trunks felt the weight of the gaze, shifting his eyes down to the floor.

"You can't tell, can you?"

The purple-haired boy looked up, confused.

Vegeta nodded his head towards the end of the hall further away, indicating towards the bedrooms. "He's in his room."

Trunks blinked, doing a quick scan and realizing, with a little shame, the older Trunks did indeed return. His energy was kept incredibly low, but it was still there. The man must have come through his window to avoid the wrath of Bulma (which Trunks briefly wished he did the same) and intended to show himself in the morning.

"It's only natural after spending so many years hiding." Vegeta commented, no clear emotion being expressed however. "Androids can't sense ki, but at the same time, it's useful in preparation." Trunks didn't detect any sort of pride or disappointment. It wasn't even very much of a jab towards him about his lack of training, but it's very unlike his father to make small talk. Nevertheless, the former Saiyan prince walked away towards his own room before the teenager was able to respond.

Forcing himself to move, Trunks forced himself to walk to his bedroom, his thoughts swirling around. The door opens with a _whoosh_, which he paused to glance back at Mirai's door across the hall, and then stepped inside his own. After a minute's debate, he took off his dirty clothes, only to pull a clean pair of shorts on his muscular body, sans a shirt.

While gathering his dirty clothes, the teenager paused to look in the mirror. Slowly, he coerced his mind morph his image into an image of Mirai (shouldn't really be that hard, considering the obvious similarities, but Trunks still found it a little difficult because there _are_ differences).

He currently had a lot of detestation towards his older counter-part, but at the same time, he couldn't help this growing curiosity building up. The stories indicated that he was a warrior who spent all his life fighting evil robots (androids but robots sound cooler for a kid, Trunks decides), and then acquires a time machine from his mother to come back to warn and save. La-dee-da, things happen but everyone teams up and defeats the evil-doer.

Like always.

Trunks thought about his mother. She responded in a way that she forgot all about the bedtime stories and implications that _he, himself_, is going to be a superhero and simply thought that he would find this older, apparently more awesome Trunks… well, pretty awesome. In retrospect, if he met Mirai when not knowing of him previously, then maybe it would be cool.

His mind flashed again, that damn image of Mirai in a full-blown frenzy during the fight with his father comes up. He inadvertently shivers, although from what exactly, he wasn't sure. And then his mind reeled through their conversation from the night before, where Mirai responded _oh-so-_gently to his allegations.

_"Then perhaps the time traveler wasn't truly what he was portrayed as."_

No shit, Sherlock. Of course, maybe it would've been nice to know that a little earlier, rather than to find out only through witnessing a battle of blind rage. Then again, Trunks remembered how he felt earlier today after he left Goten and the whole damn tournament behind. Perhaps he wasn't too far behind with this anger issue that apparently stems through the family. The teenager smirked at the thought, placing himself comfortably on the bed.

He rethought about time traveling. The whole point was to send a warning to prevent in inevitable danger that was to come. However, everything else will alter as well, as expected. Instead of gray, stormy skies and destroyed municipalities with a population of 2 alive and 10,000 dead, we have (mostly) sunny days and populous, living cities sprawled all over.

Living in fear versus living in peace. Death and life. To hide forever or to be free.

He understood the pattern. He understood the distinctions. He understood the meanings. He understood why they were so damn different. But Kami help him, Trunks still hated him. Mirai should be excited and proud for the changes; he should be delighted over the prospects of peace and seeing all the family and friends he could never have before. He should be _damn_ thrilled to see how he, himself has grown to be.

Instead, it felt like Mirai just simply spat on him, evidently _not_ thrilled.

_"Stay the hell away from me unless you decide to redeem yourself."_

Oh, right.

He wasn't even (supposedly) _allowed_ near the man unless he proved that he was worthy of his attention.

Trunks snorted as he finally reclined back into a more comfortable sleeping position.

'_Just you wait, my alternative counter-part, I'll make you see. Everything that I am was because of you.'_

_**West City- Capsule Corps/Brief's Home- 6:43 AM**_

Mirai was seated at the kitchen table, coffee mug in hand. His eyes were gazing at the plain white surface while his mind was in deep thought.

He was still a little ashamed at himself for reacting so aggressively, but at the same time, the purple-haired man still believed his words were true. He did truly feel that Trunks hasn't advanced at all towards his full potential and has also become incredibly self-absorbed. He let this freedom and peace get to his head and is taking everything for granted.

He also had a suspicious feeling that Trunks probably did get angry at a store manager over some clothes at one point or another. He kind of blurted that out without putting much thought to it, but when he reconsidered it, it was likely to have happened. He snorted at the idea.

The phone started ringing, causing the man to jump in his chair and spin around. He stared at the device, wondering if he had a right to answer. Nobody else was awake yet, it seemed, and he _was technically _Trunks Briefs (even if he wasn't the right one). Releasing the handle of his coffee mug, he stood up and walked gradually towards the phone. He allowed a moment longer to see if it would stop which it didn't, and then forced himself to answer.

"Ah, hello? Brief's household, Trunks speaking."

"Trunks? You're awake?" A young man's voice responded rather loudly, causing Mirai to hold the handset away from his ear before repositioning.

"Is this Goten?"

"Yeah? OH, this is obviously-more-awesome Trunks, huh? I can tell by the way you talk."

He sweatdropped. How long does the Son plan on using that nickname. "Yes… it's, uh, awfully early."

"Yeah, I didn't get much sleep. Too many things to think about."

"Ah?" Mirai suddenly felt awful and guilty. "I'm so sorry! I didn't think about it… I mean, I shouldn't have gotten angry and-"

"Hey, hey, calm down, it's alright." He spoke a little more softly now. "Don't worry, I'm not mad. It's just kind of surprising, ya know? But never mind all that, what are you doing today?"

"Uh, I was going to train for a little while. I'm not sure what else later."

"Cool. Can I join you?"

"You… want to?"

"Sure, why not? I'll be over in a little, wait for me outside the room."

"Okay… sure."

"Great, see ya in a little." There was a click, indicating that Goten had hung up. Mirai stared at the receiver for a moment, before placing it back on the hook. He felt awfully remorseful that he involved other people in his verbal assault. Well, he didn't _intend_ to do so, but still, it happened and Goten, being the nice boy he is, probably fretted after that on how to smooth their ruffled fur.

He sighed, grabbing his mug and rinsed it out in the sink. As he washed, he wondered how the other Trunks was doing. He felt the younger one's anger yesterday and could practically hear all the destruction he was causing (he briefly hoped that Trunks was steady enough to check the area for bystanders). Then later, when he returned to his room, he overheard Vegeta and the teenager having a brief discussion right outside the hallway. Very brief, in fact, and it pertained to him. He wasn't sure how his-no, Trunks' father was feeling towards all of this or if he evens cares (seems to be the more likely option), and he also promptly decided to _not_ involve Bulma in this. This is strictly an issue between himself and the younger boy, and he planned on keeping it that way.

_**Outside the Gravity Room- 7:31 AM**_

Dressed in loose-fitting cloth black pants and his usual black tank top, Mirai momentarily speculated if perhaps, he _should_ try to wear different clothes… or even something with color. As he thought it over, it was probably why Bulma brought him a rainbow of choices a few days ago but her choices were just so… _feminine_. It just wouldn't work. (He also remembered Vegeta wearing a _pink shirt_ on their first meeting... why he wore it, Mirai couldn't figure out) Perhaps if he talked to her about it and offer to go exchange those clothes with different ones, he could have a more satisfying wardrobe during his stay? He should also ask if she had looked at the time machine yet…

"Hey!" Mirai looked up to see the younger Son walking towards him, waving. He had his usual Son-style grin on his face and he was dressed in dark red sport shorts and a plain white tee with sneakers. He certainly appeared livelier in regards to clothes and Mirai wondered, _again_, if maybe he should ask Son Goten to come with him shopping.

Maybe he should stop thinking so much.

"Hello Son Goten."

"You're so formal." The younger teenager commented, crossing his arms with his grin still in place. "It's like you're a rich transfer student from another country, but not snobby."

The man smiled. "I guess I feel like one a little."

"You need to go shopping too."

Mirai almost fell over. "Uh, to be honest, I was just thinking about that right before you got here." He blushed, scratching the back of his head. "Bulma was kind enough to buy some things but they're…"

"Nauseating? Unbearable? Girly?"

The purple-haired man nodded.

"Sweet, we have plans for today then!" He smacked Mirai's back in a friendly manner, although Mirai still jumped a little at the contact. "Relax! You have no problems punching someone in the face when necessary, but you can barely shake hands without fidgeting."

"I-I can't help it."

"I know, Mr. Awkward. Don't worry; when I'm through with you, you're gonna be the friendliest, most charming man on the block. You got the looks down, so we're halfway there."

Mirai chuckled. "I doubt that." He lifted a hand to press a button, causing the doors to open and reveal the impressively large gravity chamber within. "Try your best though."

Goten 'hmphed', stalking inside first. "Fine. Then I'll just have to kick your ass first."

"I doubt that as well."

"Kami, you're an asshole!"

_**Brief's Home- Trunks' Bedroom- 8:09 AM**_

Sitting up and yawning, the purple-haired teenager stretched his arms above his head, feeling the muscles in his shoulders and back pull wonderfully. Lowering his arms, he used one hand to rub at his eyes, bidding them to open fully. Pushing aside the dark blue sheets, he stood up to stretch out more. Sighing deeply, he felt strangely refreshed, almost fully invigorated. Then again, he did use up a lot of energy and then gave himself a near 12 hour sleep schedule.

Opening the bedroom door with intentions of some food, Trunks stopped with one foot in the hallway, taking a moment to decipher who was awake. His mother was in her lab, most likely fussing over the time machine, and his father was still asleep, as well as Bulla. In the training chamber, it was Mirai and... Goten?

The boy frowned, eyebrows furrowing at the idea of Mirai and Goten being together. However, when thinking about it, Trunks was willing to bet that the teenage Son was trying to form some master plan for the two Trunks to become best of friends. It was practically in his genetic nature to be friendly with everyone and to also expect everyone else to do the same.

He chewed on his bottom lip as he remembered his final thoughts before sleep overcame him. He needed to speak with Mirai, regardless if the man wanted to or not. He might have to chase him for awhile, or even attack him in order to do so, but Trunks was as determined as he was prideful.

_**Outside Gravity Room- 8:39 AM**_

Panting heavily, Goten leaned against the wall with one hand and his other hand rested against his thigh. "Holy crap…" He took in another deep breath, shooting a glare at Mirai. "That was rough."

The man smirked a little. "My apologies, I suppose I could have turned it down some for you."

"Whatever!" He stood up, stretching his arms outward in front of him. "I feel better anyways. Let loose a lot of tension and stress, ya know?" He looked back at his newfound friend. "Trunks?"

Mirai was staring straight ahead down the hall, which Goten followed his gaze only to see Trunks leaning against the wall. The boy was dressed in dark jeans and a white-blue striped polo shirt; no shoes but he was wearing white socks. His arms were crossed and eyes closed as if he was waiting for them to come out. Suddenly, bright blue eyes appeared as the boy turned his head to look back at the weary duo. "Oh hey."

Goten swallowed. "Hey buddy. What's happening?"

"Just waiting for Trunks to be done."

The time traveler scowled, almost growling in response. "Is it urgent?"

"Nah." Trunks shuffled a foot back and forth lightly. "It doesn't have to be right this second, but I would like to talk to you." His eyes darted at the younger Son before returning to his counter-part. "Alone, that is."

Nobody said anything for a moment. Goten was visibly offended, looking straight at his best friend with a displeased expression. "Why can't I stay?"

"Goten, you don't need to involve yourself in our little spat."

The dark-haired boy was about to respond harshly, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned his head back to see the older man still staring at Trunks. "It's okay, Goten. Let the two of us talk for a moment and you can help me shop later on."

The boy wanted to protest, but clearly saw that it would be a losing battle. "Alright. Well, I'll shower and wait in the living room then." He walked ahead, pausing in front of his teenage friend to give him a unforgiving look, and then disappeared down the hall.

Mirai took a seat on the linoleum floor, wanting nothing more than a good shower and to relax. "Don't mind me, I'm a little dirty."

Trunks walked forward to take a seat directly in front of him. "Oh, not at all." He sat with his legs sprawled out, leaning back on the palms of his hands.

"Drop the act and just say what you want to say." The older man still felt guilty for how he acted out yesterday, but there was no way he would give this teenager the satisfaction of admitting it. Besides, he still wanted Trunks to realize that he was considerably weak and incredibly spoiled to the core. He wanted to get rid of the self-righteous attitude the boy constantly flaunted to everyone. "I highly disbelieve that you were able to see all your faults during your sleep."

Trunks chuckled lightly. "Of course not."

Mirai rolled his eyes. "Then what?"

"Hmm…" He wiggled his socked feet playfully. "I've been doing some thinking. You and I are very different people. Like you said, we're the same genetic being but our personality couldn't be any further apart on the spectrum."

The older man raised an eyebrow, but chose to say nothing.

"A young boy fought as hard as he could against the evil androids, losing his family and friends along the way. His life was harsh and empty, but one day, his mother was able to build a time machine device. Her idea was that he could travel to the past and warn everyone about the oncoming evil. He could also take the medicine to heal one warrior of his heart disease so he could live on and fight. The boy did just that, staying to fight alongside his new-found friends and destroyed not only the androids but another monster that was even stronger. During his time, the boy became stronger than ever before and when he went back to his time, he was able to defeat all the evil-doers easily, finally saving his time as well as the past. From then on, he was widely considered a brave, heroic warrior, a mysterious time traveler who came to save the world."

"I'm to assume that this was what you've been reciting in your head all these horribly agonizing years."

"Well, that's the gist of it." Trunks responded nonchalantly, still waggling his toes. "But you know what? The time traveler saved the world by changing the past. Since he helped get rid of the things that were creating the end of time, the Earth lived in a time of peace. Things were beautiful after that."

"I get it, Trunks. In fact, I can see that very clearly. So what's your point here?"

"Don't you get it?" Trunks stopped smiling, his face rapidly twisted into a dark glower. "You said that you hated my 'disgusting, arrogant attitude', but I think it's high time that you realize that _you created this_ opportunity for me! You came back and _made_ this time for me! You gave me everything I could have possibly wanted in life. I'm so spoiled and pampered by everyone because you gave me that freedom in life, damnit!"

Mirai felt his eyes widen, as he kept his gaze on his younger counter-part.

"Did you really think that we would be the same even if you change our entire lives? Think about it! Because you decided to come back and change everything around, our upbringings would _obviously _be different! We have parents who are full of pride and superiority! They are stubborn to the core and are self-obsessed with their representation! You, on the hand, have the liberty of keeping only one parent, the _only one_ who would have the decency to tell you that other people matter!"

Mirai flinched, his frown deepening as he straightened up.

"You gave me both of my parents, who, with all the power they were allowed, didn't bother to hold back on teaching me how to relish this life to the fullest extent!"

Suddenly the teenager leaped forward, crouching right over Mirai's crossed legs and his hands reaching up to grab the sides of the older man's face. He leaned ahead, his brighter blue eyes staring deep into the contrasting dark cobalt ones. The older man could feel the teenager's breath alleviating, getting softer as his glare disappeared, replaced by an almost enthralled look.

"Remember how I told you that you became some untouchable godly being?" He slowly ran the tips of his fingers down to Mirai's neck, his nails starting to dig into the skin. "You were my god and granted me this life. You made me this way. Get it?" The grip tightened, enough to cause the older one to flinch.

The time traveler didn't respond.

What could he possibly say?

* * *

And that's that! Will the two purple-haired men ever get along? WHO KNOWS?

Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think! Much love! :)


	13. Chapter 12

Crud, I want to rewrite the prologue and first few chapters. AGAIN! I know, I should just leave it, but it bugs me to see how a writing style changes and you think, 'oh man, my early stuff was awful'. That's how I feel about those Outsiders and other stories… ugh, I don't know. I might touch up and combine a few of the early chapters… tell me what you guys think.

Also, it seems that I upset some people by not having 18 and Mirai confront… (yet). I don't recall if I actually misled you guys into thinking that they _would meet_ at the tournament (if I did say specifically that they would, I apologize), but I'm pretty certain I didn't. Anyways, I'm very sorry about that… I was going by the idea that Vegeta and some others would actually think about the situation and avert unnecessary trouble (unlike Goku, lol).

Anyways, we left off with Mirai being owned by Trunks. In a non-sexual manner, that is. But did Trunks really win the war? (Answer: No)

What will happen next? Read on, my beautiful friends.

* * *

**Containing Thy Self**- Chapter 12

_**West City Shopping District- 10:13 AM**_

He was walking slowly, his feet shuffling along the paved sidewalks and his body instinctively avoided colliding with others with precise shifts in his movements, but his mind was elsewhere.

_"You were my god and granted me this life. You made me this way. Get it?"_

He could still feel the younger boy's grip along his neck, the nails digging into the skin; not enough to tear but his point was made clear. Mirai was stunned by the conversation, although it wasn't really a civil exchange but more of one-sided finger pointing verbal assault, but that wasn't really the main issue at the moment.

"Hey, Trunks buddy."

The older man felt a tug on his sleeve, snapping out of his reverie to see Goten standing next to him with a worried look. They were currently standing in front of a clothing store, which Mirai didn't even notice the direction he was walking, and the younger Son was waiting for the time traveler to come back to reality.

"Ah… sorry, Goten."

The younger boy's eyebrows furrowed together as he tightened his grip on the shirt sleeve. "Come on man, talk to me." He pulled the older man off to the side of the store, close to the alleyway, so they could get away from possibly interested spectators. "Can't you tell me what happened at all?"

Mirai hesitated. It wasn't that he didn't trust the boy; if truth be told, the purple-haired man could probably entrust his life in the Son's hands, right alongside with Goku and Gohan. He just truly felt that this concern should not involve anyone else except for himself and Trunks. As for Goten, Mirai could see so much fondness that he had for everyone, _especially_ for Trunks, and the older man would absolutely loathe himself to allow the boy to get all distraught over something seemingly minor.

He placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, forcing a small smile on his lips. "Don't worry about it, Goten. It'll be alright, so please just forget about it."

The black-haired boy wanted nothing more than to shake the man, or even to go back to Capsule Corps and shake it out of Trunks, but he was fully aware that shaking people would result into nothing. Releasing a heavy sigh, he scratched the back of his head, keeping his gaze off to the side. "Well… alright, _fine_. I get that you're not gonna tell me because you _feel bad_." Mirai cringed at the callous tone. "Just know that if you wanna talk, I'm here."

"Thank you." The older man smiled softly, squeezing Goten's shoulder lightly. "I really do appreciate your concern."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm a nice guy, I know." The boy shrugged although he had a small grin forming. "Let's find you some clothes, eh?"

The two walked inside the store they were next to, allowing their eyes to gaze over the contents within. A salesperson greeted them from the side where she was working on redressing a mannequin, which both Saiyan hybrids bowed back in response.

"So whatcha looking for?" Goten asked, allowing his eyes to browse quickly through the clothing racks as well as the display tables. "I know you like black like your dad likes dark blue and my dad likes orange with blue."

Mirai snorted at the comment although the casual mention of Goku caused the time traveler to glance at the younger boy's back in concern. He lightly placed a hand on a pile of shirts on the closest display table, all of which were tones of gray, to catch the Son's attention. "I don't like bright colors."

"Or no color at all." Goten commented, quirking an eyebrow when he looked over. "White, black, and gray?"

"Well…" The purple-haired man lifted his hand to scratch the back of his head in thought. "I prefer dark colors. Such as…" He picked up two shirts, one a navy blue and the other a hunter green. "I just can't possibly wear yellow, pink, orange… you know."

"Gotcha." The Son motioned towards the other end of the store. "There's probably better stuff back there. Some places typically put the really bright and flashy things in the front. I guess it's the style nowadays."

The man followed his younger friend, although he couldn't get the brief memory of Goku's departure out of his head. "Say, Goten? If you don't mind me asking…"

"Hmm?"

"Well, um, how have you been doing?" Goten glanced back in puzzlement, which Mirai cleared his throat to clarify. "I mean, since Goku has left."

"Oh." The young boy's dark eyes darted to the side as he frowned. "I'm fine, I guess. I mean, I'm annoyed and I know my family isn't very pleased."

Mirai suddenly felt very intrusive. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to bring up unpleasant thoughts."

"Nah, it's alright. I bug you about stuff you don't wanna talk about, so it's only fair." He stopped to turn around and shove his hands into his jeans pockets. "It just _sucks_ because he wasn't there for seven years, and then all the sudden, he comes back like that span of time never happened. It was fine and lovely for the next ten years, but _then_ he not only leaves all of us _again_, he left his four-year-old granddaughter behind with no explanation. Not to mention he left _his family_ to train with some random kid he met at the tournament, which is even more offensive, because the only thing he did with us was train and eat. It was like, 'Oh anyone is fine as long as they train with me'."

Goten leaned against the wall next to a large ceiling-to-floor mirror, which Mirai stepped to the side to avoid looking into. It would just be weird, and probably rude to some extent, to stare at his reflected image while Goten was speaking of his family problems.

"It's like the guy doesn't want to be a father or he doesn't really understand what a father is. He just wants to be your best friend or just someone who will be your sparring partner. That's why I stopped training as much because I thought, what's the point? He doesn't care to know anything else or he just doesn't really get it."

Suddenly, he smirked, giving an amused snort. "You should see him when Gohan tries to explain what he studies in his office. Father just has this baffled look on his face, but he tries so hard to act like he's interested. You know as well as anyone that he's a terrible liar."

Mirai nodded, his face carefully kept clear of any obvious emotion. He wanted to say something, but he was pretty certain Goten didn't want any sort of pity or empathy in response. He just wanted to say what has been in the back of his mind all this time, but was unable to confess it to anyone before.

"I can deal with it." The young Son said firmly, making a slight nod. "I'm able to deal. Although sometimes, Videl will come over with Pan because Gohan will suddenly disappear all day. One time, I decided to go find my brother to see where he goes and it… it was kind of terrifying."

"What do you mean?" Mirai asked, crossing his arms as he leaned against a table.

"The problem with my brother is that he trained so much as a kid and became so strong so he has all this power inside of him. However, ever since he got married and settled down to become a scholar, he doesn't train so he gets stressed and it bottles up inside of him. I guess as a Saiyan, it gets real violent so he has to leave for a day to relieve the anxiety. You know, so he doesn't accidentally lash out on anybody."

The purple-haired man nodded. "The more you train, the more power you gain, and the harder it is to contain." He stopped, blushing out of embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I didn't even realize that I rhymed."

"You're funny." Goten replied, snickering a little before he got serious again. "Gohan basically has to go to some deserted area and blow things up to feel better. The problem though, is that he had been doing this only once every few months while father was here because his presence kept him so calm. Our father lets him do what he wants because I think he feels guilty for forcing Gohan into so much shit when he was younger. So essentially, Gohan studies and disregards training, and then every few months, he will go somewhere and let it all out, as long as father leaves him be.

"When I was growing up until our father came back, Gohan disappeared _a lot_. When he started going to school, he calmed down some, but before that, he would be gone a _couple times_ _a week._ That's why I was learning my martial arts from our mother rather than him."

Mirai allowed a moment's of silence to pass before he spoke up. "Goku has been back for ten years though before he left yesterday, right?"

"Yeah, but Gohan disappeared this morning."

"Ah." The time traveler's eyes widened a bit. "So he's starting up again… and so soon."

"Yeah, that was the other reason why I was awake so early because Videl came over all upset. Apparently, he didn't leave a note and she thought he was going to do something drastic. I had to explain to her that he did this a lot when I was a kid and with father gone again; he will probably do it more often from now on. I told her he would be back either later tonight or early tomorrow morning."

"I see. And your mother?"

"Well, she forgets that our hearing is a little sharper than normal humans, even as a young child, so I'll wake up on some nights and hear her crying in their bedroom. I never go comfort her though because she has pride issues, you know. During the day, she acts so fierce and in control… it's hard to actually know that father's prior absence has been breaking her down like that."

Goten's hands formed into fists as he clenched his eyes shut. "I couldn't do anything then and I can't do anything now!"

"Can I help you boys with anything?" Mirai flinched a little at the interruption as he swung his head towards the saleslady, while Goten quickly readjusted his demeanor. The unaware employee just tilted her head with a confused look. "Is everything alright? You two were standing here for so long without moving."

"Oh, my apologies." Mirai blushed, rubbing the back of his head. "We just got into a deep conversation and forgot where we were. I'm very sorry." He bowed his head respectfully, which the saleslady responded equally in return.

"Not a problem. Please let me know if you need anything."

"Actually, we're gonna go." Goten cut in, placing a hand on Mirai's back to pressure him forward. "I apologize for wasting your time."

"Have a lovely day."

The two men left the store as Goten's hand forced Mirai to move hastily, although he wasn't sure why they were rushing in the first place. The Son boy removed his hand, yet continued walking so the older man had to follow regardless.

"Goten." He called up, picking up the pace to be in line with the other.

"Sorry." Goten mumbled, his hands back in his jeans pocket with his head bent down in mortification. "I didn't mean to rant like that. I didn't mean to embarrass you in front of the saleslady. I didn't mean-"

"Goten, it's alright!" Mirai jumped in front of the younger boy, causing him to unexpectedly halt in his tracks. "You needed this, so it's fine. Honestly, I'm honored that you feel comfortable enough around me to do so."

"Man." The younger Son felt his cheeks turn red as he placed a hand over his eyes. "You're so damn polite and formal, I feel like I'm being courted or something."

"I'm sorry." The time traveler wasn't really sure what to say as he fidgeted with his hands. "It's in my nature to do so. I know it's weird, but I can't help it. I'm not courting you though… at least, not on purpose."

Goten couldn't help but laugh rather loudly, causing a few bystanders to glance in their direction. Mirai's face was a nice shade of crimson as he glimpsed around at the attention, raising his hands to get the younger boy to calm down.

"You're so weird." Goten kept chuckling, wiping his eyes with one hand. "You make me laugh so hard that I wanna cry." He finally stopped with his amusement as he lowered his hand to get a good look at the man standing in front of him. "Hey Trunks, take me away, will ya?"

"Well, I can if you're willing to be the princess." Mirai smirked, crossing his arms. "I'm older, taller and obviously stronger than you, so I have to play the male role."

"Please." Goten casually waved a hand. "Just because I let my guard down this morning doesn't automatically make you the man."

"Ah, really?" Mirai tapped a finger against his chin, pretending to be in deep contemplation. "If I recall, I think you were having a hard enough time struggling with the gravity level itself, let alone even trying to fight me."

"Ass." The boy muttered, crossing his arms across his chest. "Alright, you win this round." He turned to continue strolling along, as the older man walked alongside him. "So what's going on with your time device… machine… thing?"

"Ah, yes." Mirai took a glance upward, taking note of the clear skies above. "Bulma seemed to have found a particular malfunction in the engine. In fact, when she looked over the blueprints I had stored inside the machine for emergency purposes, she proclaimed that I was incredibly lucky for it to not have done anything in previous trips."

Goten frowned. "So is it fixable?"

"Yes, it will be fine. It will take her a few days to go over it and recheck the performance. After she finishes with that, then we can start the charging, which will _also_ take some time."

"Sheesh, sounds rough." The dark-haired boy gazed at his friend in curiosity. "Are you upset that you're stuck here for awhile?"

The time traveler furrowed his eyebrows slightly although he didn't express any other obvious sentiment. "It's not so much that I'm upset, but it's the fact I shouldn't be here at all."

**Somewhere in the Sky, Exact Location Unknown- 1:15 PM**

Trunks was soaring, his arms spread out with fingers splayed. He could feel the cool, crisp wind blow through his purple hair as he spun around slowly. His clothes ruffled against his well-developed body as the boy closed his eyes to get the full sensation.

It was a feeling that he couldn't explain well with words.

He felt _good_.

The teenager paused in the air, allowing himself to float over desolate terrain. He mentally replayed the conversation from this morning, feeling the essence of satisfaction swell up inside of him. It was as if he won the battle that he had been fighting against for so long.

Lowering his arms, Trunks scowled as he still couldn't get rid of this nagging feeling in the back of his mind. It was something dispiriting trying to yank down his bliss.

He slapped the truth in the other Trunks' face and watched the man as he visibly fell apart afterward.

He was_ right._

So why does it feel like something is still wrong?

A flash of electricity suddenly flew through his body as Trunks' head shot up in alarm, glancing around for the source of energy. He detected it coming from the east, which he quickly followed all the way to the origins, only to come across someone fairly familiar.

Trunks landed close to the edge of a large highland, kneeling down to keep himself somewhat hidden as he watched the scene. Not too far away from him, down in the lower parts of the territory, a man stood alone as electric shocks surrounded his body. A bright, yellow glow surrounded the muscular form as the ground around his feet crumbled. Loose pieces of earth were raised in the air as the energy surged through the atmosphere.

"Gohan…" Trunks shivered from the intense energy he felt, squinting at the harsh appearance the older Son was taking below. Where had he seen this before?

Suddenly, the older man yelled, boisterous and abrasive, the surrounding ground evaporating completely as he rose slowly in the air. A pale golden orb of electricity fully overcame his body, gradually becoming larger as sparks flew in all directions. Trunks threw up his hands in protection as the power surge blew further outside the orb, flashes of spiritual energy shot past him. He felt a few shocks rip across his body, creating tears on his clothes and splashes of heat burns on his skin.

Cringing slightly at the stings, the purple-haired teenager glanced through his fingers to sneak a more detailed observance at his older friend. The energy was bright and harsh to the eyes, but Trunks squinted to get a better look at his face.

His eyes widen at the demonic features the older Son's appearance has taken. His eyes were a pure gold color, with no evidence of pupils visible. The eyebrows were creased so forcefully and his mouth was wide open from the yelling, his face expressed sheer rage. His fists were clenched so tightly that red blood flew through the fingers, droplets splashing into the current of energy swirling around him. His screams were so merciless, yet painful.

"Just like him…" Trunks uttered, so quietly to himself, and that despairing feeling suddenly built up, ridding of any former feelings of pleasure. It was so obvious now and he felt like the biggest fool.

He lost, _again_.

Standing up slowly from his position, Trunks took a few steps backwards to be sure he wasn't noticed, and then quickly shot off into the sky.

**West City Shopping District- 2:02 PM**

"And that's how we formed Gotenks!" The younger Son exclaimed loudly, as his hands were waved into a large oval shape (to signify a person?). "The two of us formed into one super being!"

The two hybrids were seated on a wooden park bench, unknowing shoppers passed by, and Goten was relaying the story of how he played a role in fighting against the evil Buu. Mirai was a little put off, especially by the idea that they had to perform a synchronized dance beforehand (which Goten kept insisting 'it's not that embarrassing') because any warrior performing a boogie is laughable.

A breeze flew by, causing both men to snap their attention upwards, only to be greeted by the young Capsule Corps heir who landed in front of them. Some outsiders stopped in their tracks when they realized that a person just came from the sky, and a few others hurried themselves and their children away.

Trunks ignored the unwarranted attention. "Goten! I just saw something crazy!"

The black-haired boy stood up carefully, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder as he glanced around uneasily. "Wait a minute, man. You seriously need to watch what you're doing."

"Goten, I don't care!"

"I care!" Forcing the older teenager to turn around, Goten placed his hands on Trunks' back to urge him into a vacant area of the park while Mirai followed silently.

"I saw Gohan!"

He froze in his push, his eyes wide open. Trunks took a step forward, away from the hands, to turn around and look at his lifelong friend. The time traveler raised his eyebrows with interest.

"You… saw him?" He asked quietly, his hands lowered back down by his side. "You saw him… freaking out?"

"Yeah! It was crazy! Just like…" The purple-haired teenager trailed off, now realizing that his so-called nemesis was standing there. His blue eyes slowly gazed over to the older man as his memory flashed back to him once more.

"_For that one moment you released your rage, I felt as the devil himself appeared, ready to snatch my weak, powerless soul from my useless body. I stopped moving, breathing, when you turned into something demonic, godly, untouchable!"_

While he was still irked with Mirai, Trunks couldn't help it as that perturbed sensation struck him at the pit of his stomach. Swallowing tightly, he forced his attention back on to his younger friend so his disturbed expression wasn't clear to the man. "Like a… demon or something!"

The time traveler could see straight through his younger counter-part's appearance, and while he initially felt bad for doing something so completely uncontrolled, the idea that Gohan was in a similar boat was very intriguing. He, too, keep his attention focused on the younger Son.

Goten was silent for a moment as his expression grew dark. "You saw something you weren't supposed to see."

"What do you mean?"

"My brother has this thing where he has to go away for a day or so and release his energy because it gets too violent for him to contain. Since he's a scholar and doesn't train, it puts more pressure on his body and mind." Scratching the back of his head, the black-haired teenager grimaced as if he didn't want to go any further. "It seems that Piccolo found out about Gohan's 'little outbursts' as he calls them, way back when he stopped training after the whole…" Goten paused, recollecting the words from memory. "Cell? Was that the evil guy's name?"

Mirai nodded solemnly as Trunks frowned at the familiar name, sneaking another quick glance at his older counter-part.

"Well anyways, after Gohan defeated Cell and our father died, my brother stopped training all together. I guess after a few months of not fighting, sparring, or anything, Gohan realized something was wrong and had to go to some wasteland to release his bottled up energy. Piccolo found him first, and while he didn't entirely accept his decision, I guess our residential Namek talked to Dende to create some kind of protection shield for Gohan to go freak out in. Basically, the point of the shield is to not only keep Gohan from attacking anything on the outside, everything that is on the outside doesn't take notice of what's on the inside. It's like two worlds, you know? I suppose though, that one time I purposely went looking and your accidental intrusion shows that the shield doesn't necessarily prevent us from entering. It just keeps us from noticing at all… until we pass through it, I guess."

"That makes sense…" Mirai started although his face twisted into a glower. "It does, but is this really the best decision for Gohan? Wouldn't it just be better to train and gradually release stress in that manner?"

Goten sighed, his eyes saddening. "I think my brother is just completely torn up. Like you, Trunks, he had been fighting so hard during his whole life. Constantly losing family and friends for them to only come back and disappear again… I think Gohan can't take it anymore. He hates having Saiyan blood. When they were fighting Cell, it all depended on him to win and he was only eleven years old… that's crazy, you know? He just doesn't want to do it anymore. My brother wants to live in peace… with his family and his books. He wants to get rid of any bad memories he had and completely forget the idea that he's one of the most powerful beings in the universe."

Trunks didn't say anything, but his eyes widened a fraction when he detected the brotherly pride Goten expressed in his words.

"Ironically enough, it's our father that keeps Gohan the most… sane, I guess. With him being the first-born son and being thrown in head first into battle so early in life, our father just took it to the heart to devote all his time to Gohan until his death against Cell. Our father is regarded as a sign of such confidence and hope… when he's there, you know everything will be okay in the end, no matter how ridiculous the situation becomes." The younger Son smirked, crossing his arms. "He's practically the symbol of peace and harmony."

Neither Trunks responded, both unsure whether it was acceptable to do so.

"So when our father disappears, Gohan gets these anxiety attacks… outbursts… and just has to leave everyone to go blow up. He's so terrified of the idea of being the one responsible to save the world. When our father died fighting Cell and Gohan had to ascend the second level, he lost it. I remember him telling me how it was a feeling he never wanted to experience again… a feeling of losing oneself. It's why he's so dependent on our father because not only does he give us that assurance of being safe, Gohan is also not the one responsible in being the savior. As long as our father is around, Gohan is free to do what he wants without worries."

"I'm so sorry, Goten. I had no idea." Trunks spoke softly, lowering his gaze to the ground in shame for being so oblivious.

The younger Son shrugged. "It's not your fault, or anyone else, for that matter. I mean, we _know_ what he is doing but for the most part; we just kind of brush it off. It's not like we're taking the time to announce it to anyone, ya know?"

Mirai reflected over these explanations, comparing the situation to his own. He had felt a sense of losing himself before, even Trunks called him out on it, but unlike Gohan, he doesn't want to stop training. After spending all twenty-two years of his life in hiding and half of it training so intensively… it's completely impossible for him to just settle down and give up. Especially considering the fact that he is double Gohan's age of when he stopped training, there was just no way.

He knew that he was going to have to speak with Gohan personally, whether the man was willing to open up to his feelings or not.

* * *

So… this chapter was incredibly difficult to write. Actually, you know which part was the hardest to write? Those few paragraphs of Gohan freaking out, of all things.

Also, if anyone doesn't really understand the deal with Gohan, let me know and I'll give a brief explanation in the next chapter. Basically though, Gohan had been progressively falling apart mentally during his life and the only thing that kept him together was Goku, absurdly enough.

Just a reminder about Goten knowing about Cell… _everyone knows about Cell_. That's why Hercules/Mr. Satan is regarded as a world hero (unfortunately). It was just simply the androids that were disregarded because of one) 18 being a good guy and two) it didn't seem necessary. Cell was explained as a monster that was bent on destroying the world and Hercules beat him up, so the whole stint with the androids wasn't particularly deemed important to anyone except for the Z warriors that were present at the time. And Mirai, obviously. Good?

Please leave a review!


	14. Chapter 13

I put off updating for a bit because I was upset by the lack of feedback compared to the traffic results… then again, if didn't add that nifty feature, I would be convinced that nobody really cared for this piece. Well, here's to hoping that if I get this story more interesting and intriguing, maybe ya guys would be more inclined to **review… (please?)**

Anyways, I'm under the impression that everyone understands what's going on with everyone (Mirai, Goten, Trunks, Gohan, etc….) and all their emotional issues. Sooooo…. Let's move on. Please enjoy the next chapter!

* * *

**Containing Thy Self**- Chapter 13

_**West City- Capsule Corps/Brief's House- 6:04 PM**_

Walking down the broad hallway quickly, the long-haired man quickens his pace when he sensed the older man just ahead. Sliding around a corner swiftly, he called out loudly.

"Vegeta!"

The older man stopped in his tracks, and while keeping his powerfully built body still, he turned his head slightly to the side. "What is it, boy?"

"I need to speak with you." Slowly, he walked up to his father (that is, of another time), positioning himself to be in the Saiyan prince's line of sight, just to the left. "You probably know all about it though."

He scowled. "Just tell me."

Mirai swallowed, crossing his arms across his chest. "I, uh… I know about Gohan."

Vegeta displayed no surprise, or any other visible emotion for that matter. "Is that so? You're correct, I'm fully aware of his little… _issue_. Why do you bring this up?"

"I was thinking it over, comparing myself to Gohan." The purple-haired man admitted, feeling increasingly uneasy under the older man's stare. "While it's disrespectful that I am disregarding the suffering he is putting himself through, I can't help but be fully conscious of the power differences."

The flame-haired man grunted. "Unlike full-blooded Saiyans, you human hybrids have a strong dependency on your emotions." He uttered the word without disguising the strong tone of aversion. "Kakarot and I are able to further our advances by getting stronger, but Gohan, as a child, has proved that he requires some kind of harrowing experience to evolve. I suspect that you are the same way." He narrowed his dark eyes at this older version of his son, his mouth forming a deep frown.

""_The more you train, the more power you gain, and the harder it is to contain_." Mirai repeated quietly. Although the statement was a little embarrassing with the unintentional rhyme, it rang all too true in regards to himself and apparently Gohan too.

"Correct." Vegeta made a slight nod. "The Son brat went through a series of Hell as a child and advanced to levels previously thought impossible. However, in your case, you have suffered as well, yet you're at a standstill."

Mirai didn't respond. It hurt to be reminded, but it was _true_. He wasn't advancing at all, but as he remembered what Trunks had told him that night, there is something darker inside of him. He knew he had the power… but why couldn't he obtain it properly?

"Tomorrow morning, we will pay a visit to the Son." With that, the older man walked forward with all intentions of taking a shower. Mirai knew better to not reply as he watched his father's back slowly disappear down the hall.

_**Son Household- Gohan's Home- 9:43 AM**_

Flipping through some papers, the older Son's memory quickly flashed back to earlier this morning.

"_Where have you been?" His wife yelled, jumping up from her position on the couch and running towards him, yet halting just a foot away. "I've been worried sick!"_

_He raised his hands, placing them on her shoulders to keep her still. "I'm sorry, Videl. I should have left a note, but… I just had to leave."_

_She was still glowering, but she placed her own hands on top of his. "Well, Goten gave me a briefing yesterday…" She trailed off, giving him a knowing look as she bit her lip out of habit._

_He swallowed tightly, becoming more and more uneasy. "I… I see." He released her shoulders, her own hands dropping back to her side, and stepped to the side. "Well, just don't worry about it, okay? Just know that if you don't find me here, I will come back later on." He took another step forward. "I'm sorry about all this." The black-haired man sighed and made his way to the bathroom to clean up._

Groaning, he reached up one hand to remove his glasses and place them down on the desk, while the other hand rubbed at the bridge of his nose as the migraine was slowing forming. He had no intentions at all in upsetting his wife, but it was a matter he could not help. In a sudden fit of irritation, he shoved a thick book off the desk, feeling a small swell of satisfaction brewing at the sound of the _thud_ against the wooden floor.

Even though he had stopped training, his senses were still as keen as ever, as he stood up to make his way outside. Sure enough, Vegeta and Mirai, to his surprise at the two of them being together, promptly landed in front of his house, dressed in casual wear. Gohan nodded, taking a moment to allow a smile to grace his lips as he greeted them.

"Trunks, Vegeta, nice to see you again."

Mirai stepped forward, extending his hand respectfully, which Gohan replicated, shaking his hand welcomingly. "Gohan, it's always good to see you as well." The time traveler was smiling with ease, but his cobalt eyes expressed another matter altogether. "Is your wife and child home?"

"Yes, they're inside. Please come in."

The three Saiyans made their way into the second Son household, while Gohan called out for Videl and Pan. When they entered the front room and exchanged their greetings, Gohan briefly explained the need to be alone with the two guests.

Videl nodded, picking up her daughter to place her against her hip. "We will go over and visit Grandma Chi-Chi then."

"Alright, sounds good." The older Son placed a hand on top of Pan's head, ruffling her short hair. "Pan, be good and listen to your mother as well as your grandmother."

She beamed. "Okay Papa!" Suddenly, she reached up to grab her father by the sleeve as he went to pull away. "Will Papa feel better after he plays with his friends?"

Gohan blinked, clearly unaware that his only daughter has noticed the change in his mood, and then forced another smile for her sake. "Yes, Papa will feel better. Don't you worry, okay?"

She smiled, releasing her shockingly strong grip.

After they had left, the three warriors settled at the kitchen table as Gohan set out some coffee and tea in a respectful manner. He finally sat down, his hands clasped together on top of the table and his attention fully focused on the sort-of father and son. "So, what can I do for you guys?"

"Gohan, I'm just going to get straight to the point." Mirai clarified, placing his cup of coffee back down on the complimentary plate. "Goten told myself and Trunks about your…_problem_. I was with your brother when Trunks found us to explain that he saw you, and then Goten finally just told us the whole story."

He was taken aback, honestly, but at the same time, he chided himself for not being more discreet. It was obvious that other people would eventually figure it out and unfortunately, his little brother wasn't exactly known for keeping his mouth shut. Gohan heaved a sigh, running a hand through his thick black hair. "I see. Well, I guess there isn't a whole lot I can say about it, except for the fact that I'm doing this for the sake of everyone."

The purple-haired man nodded. "I understand. Quite frankly, I feel that there could be other ways to deal with it, but at the same time, it's none of my business and I really have no right to say so otherwise."

The Son blinked. "I-I see. Thank you then."

"Your sob story aside," Vegeta cut in, causing both of the younger men to frown at his tactless interjection. "We are here because Trunks needs to understand why is that you hybrid children have more difficulties advancing."

"Oh..." Gohan took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment before quickly reopening them. "So we're going to talk about why Trunks here is struggling to ascend the second level?"

"Gohan." The dark-haired man glanced over at his younger friend. "I know you are not at ease to talk about it, but I would be really grateful if you could share your thoughts with me." He was smiling, but the young warrior had sadness expressed in his eyes. "I'm struggling and I know you probably have some answers you could provide."

The Son nodded slowly, reaching over to give Mirai's forearm a friendly squeeze before returning his hands back together in their clasped position.

"Alright, then allow me to speak openly, I believe I have a theory as to why Trunks struggles more so in order to ascend the second level of a Super Saiyan. Or rather, I believe I come to an understanding why us human and Saiyan _hybrids_ struggle more so."

It was evident that Gohan had been mulling over this for quite some time, whether it was for his own interest or something else, but he came off as rather knowledgeable. Perhaps the oldest of Goku's sons had spent much time wondering and studying as to _why he was so different from his father_ in terms of power.

Vegeta quirked an eyebrow, silently gesturing him to continue, while Mirai settled for a more concerned expression, fearing for the worst.

"Now, don't quote me on this, but this is an idea that I've come to in regards to my own struggle as much as Trunks struggle. Of course, _our_ Trunks and Goten of this time haven't necessarily tried to advance any further…" Gohan trailed off, watching as the Saiyan prince scowled. "Goku and Vegeta are natural full-blooded Saiyans, therefore while it's not particularly easy to advance; it comes to them more naturally. It's in their blood to be able to.

"However, for hybrids, our bodies are constantly fighting against the two sides. Since our Saiyan blood is much stronger than our human blood, we are fighting daily to keep our more primitive side at a civilized stage by being more human. When we train, we face a constant danger of allowing our Saiyan side to take over completely."

He leaned back in his chair, cup of coffee in hand. "The reason Goku and Vegeta don't have this problem because as being full-blooded, they have complete control over their bodies. As for us hybrids, there are two parts and we started as weak, in a sense that we started as being 'human'. We didn't think of allowing our wilder side run free first, and then calming it down with our human side.

"Instead, we were raised as 'humans', by simply bottling up all of our potential power inside."

"Wait." Mirai held up a hand, stopping the older man from continuing. "So you're saying that we hybrids essentially have a stronger essence inside of us that we constantly have to keep in check, whether we realize it or not?"

Gohan scratched his chin gently. "Well, not to be offensive, but yes, comparing a human to a Saiyan would be like comparing a young puppy to its possibility of becoming a tamed dog or a wolf-like creature, if you want a more visual idea. A puppy has sharp teeth, it can snap, growl and bite in self-defense. However, depending on how it grows, it can be in control of its internal instincts or it can be uncontrolled and wild like a wolf."

"What is this, werewolves or some shit?" Vegeta cut in, clearly getting a little offended over the comparison idea. "So you're saying that all you hybrids are constantly putting yourself in danger of releasing your inner… '_wolf'_, as you call it, when you train to strengthen your bodies. Surely the training helps you keep it in check?"

"It does, but at the same time, in order for us to gain power, we have to _access our Saiyan side_ to reinforce our human ways. Therefore, as we grow stronger, the more power we gain, the less human we actually start to become. So like the wolf, our Saiyan side can overtake and kill our human side if we're not careful.

"Now for the other part of my theory is what exactly allow us to gain this power are our emotions, not to sound cheesy. In order to become a first level Super Saiyan, it was said that you had to be pure-hearted. Of course, the 'pure' part didn't mean good; it can be pure evil. Also, we have to feel some sort of rage, a trigger that maddens us. Trunks, how did you become a Super Saiyan?"

Mirai blinked, swallowing tightly. "I… I found your-I mean, my master Gohan dead… the androids killed him and his body was left to rot in a puddle. When I realized that he was no more… my mind just kind of went blank. It just sort of happened right then."

The dark-haired man placed a hand on the time traveler's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze before releasing. "So your pure heart became full of rage and you were able to tap into that side. For myself, it happened in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Father told me that it had to come about as a need, rather than a desire, so I allowed my mind to fill up with all those times that I couldn't help my friends when they were in danger. I got a little overwhelmed though and actually tried to attack my father, who had to calm me down."

Vegeta's eyebrows raised a little, but said nothing.

Gohan continued, "It became an ability that once you know how to get to the first stage, it was a matter of controlling it. We know that there are three parts to the first stage. Trunks, you are able to get to the third stage, but you don't know how to surpass it. As we all know, the third stage is useless because it slows us down from the muscle mass. Going through the three parts is physically enduring but to actually advance to the second level of a Super Saiyan, it's your emotions that, once again, triggers it."

"So… I have to be thinking of one thing in order to achieve it?" Mirai asked as he allowed these words to replay in his mind.

"Right, if your mind is a mess of many things, you just get more and more frustrated. For us hybrids, we have to use our human emotions to advance our Saiyan abilities as well as being at full power physically. Since our emotions are complex and our physical abilities are simplified, we have to absolutely focus on one thing in order to tap into the power further. A middle ground between the two, I could say.

"At the same time, we have to keep that one emotion up to the mark, lest we let ourselves get out of control." Gohan frowned, reflecting back on his own experiences. "When I fought Cell, my mind became so full of rage and hate… nothing else mattered except for torturing the being that made me this way."

"Oh…" Trunks' eyes widened with revelation. "Gohan... do you feel pain when you transform?"

The older man nodded, a scowl embracing his facial features. "It's very painful for us. Our bodies aren't as formidable as a normal Saiyan body. We put so much strain on everything we have in order to become more powerful. In fact…" He licked his lips out of nervousness, "I think our bodies would actually deteriorate if we get too powerful. Of course, I don't know where that limit lies… but I do know you can access to the second level and still be okay for the most part."

"So I would basically have to feel the same thing I did when I first became a Super Saiyan? Nonetheless, it will be progressively more painful and harder to control?"

Gohan nodded again. "Like I said before, Goku and Vegeta are full-blooded. Technically, they don't actually have to rely on their emotions in order to advance further, which is why they need to put forth more physical training. As for us, we need both the physical training and keeping our emotions on track, yet having that one stimulation to basically instigate us further."

"Why was Trunks and Goten able to transform at such a young age?" Vegeta questioned, his tone making it apparent that this has been bothering him for quite some time. "Your theory makes sense, but it doesn't seem to apply to them."

The Son looked thoughtful for a moment. "That's the problem I kept coming to. Maybe the environment they were brought up in and the power surge coming from the rest of us, they may have possibly fed off of that and were able to find a quick access. But Vegeta… even if they were able to transform into Super Saiyans…" He swallowed a little, not really wanting to say the next part out loud. "The power differences between them and us two," gesturing between himself and Mirai, "is drastically different.

"Despite the last time we all saw Trunks here, which was eighteen years ago for us and probably no more than a year for him, he is still clearly much stronger than the two of them. Our Trunks was able to turn Super Saiyan at age eight and had another ten years after that to become something stronger. The same applies to Goten at one year less. So what's the problem that's causing the difference?"

The Saiyan prince scowled heavily, clearly expressing his disappointment and discomfort to further this topic. "They don't want to train. They're not interested in becoming strong. If they want power, they want it handed to them. They're interested in going to the mall… girls… video games… I had to threaten my son for his allowance just to get him to enter a tournament against humans! Do you know how pathetic that sounds to a warrior like myself?"

"I know." Gohan nodded in agreement. "I understand your frustration."

Mirai suddenly felt very uncomfortable with the atmosphere, fidgeting a little in his seat. The coffee in his hand wasn't helping him much either. "But… doesn't that mean they can't advance any further?"

"That's what I'm assuming." The dark-haired scholar responded back, "I believe the environment allowed them to ascend the first stage easily but because the second stage is much more painful and stressful, I believe it's impossible for them to access without undergoing that feeling. I really just want to say that they had some massive amount of luck to start off with. As for their fused state as Gotenks, I'm going with the idea that combining two people meant their power doubled."

Vegeta made a slight nod. "That's reasonable. It was the same for myself and Kakarot."

"Fused…" Mirai repeated, unsure if he understood what they were implying. "Wait a minute, Goten mentioned this before."

"Yes… it was a technique that was learned during our battle with Buu." Gohan explained, scratching his head. "I know it sounds weird, but it did work… sort of."

"It's okay." Mirai waved a hand nonchalantly, chuckling a little. "You don't have to explain it; I don't really need to know the technique anyways. So because of my training and the fact that I have made it to the third stage of a first level, I just need that emotional trigger to take me another step?"

"The third part is the power of a second level, but your body can't control it properly. You need to advance once more in order for your physical body to adjust with the spiritual energy. You need a balance and you need that spark in order to achieve it."

"Trunks." Gohan scooted his chair closer to the purple-haired man. "You always had the power but your body wasn't able to handle it just yet. You didn't access that balance just yet, but that power has always been in you from the start." He smiled tenderly. "Let that be a reminder as you train."

Mirai blinked, the older man suddenly started to look more like his master from so many years ago. "Gohan…"

"So," Vegeta cut in, not willing to watch any soft moments between grown men, "You mentioned stimulation? You make it sound like Trunks has to have a traumatic moment in order to do this."

"Well… something like that. The only way I was able to advance, as the final push, was when Cell crushed and killed android Sixteen who was innocent and undeserving of death. I couldn't accept that the monster would kill something so easily without a second thought. However, even though I would jinx us for saying it, this is a time of peace right now… you would have to formulate with your mind."

"Or… perhaps Bulma can build something…"

Mirai and Gohan stared at the Saiyan prince questioningly.

"She created the gravity chamber, robots, a dragonball locator, ships, capsules and a time machine, for crying out loud. I'm sure the woman would be able to create a chamber that would transport you into a holographic world with realistic stimulations." He explained roughly, although you could tell there was a hint of pride for his wife within his tone.

"A room that would 'transport' you into a different world without actually doing so; while you're physically in the room, your mind would lead you to believe you are actually elsewhere." Gohan elaborated, eyebrows forming together in deep thought. "If you can't seem to do it on your own, that could be an idea. Although, Trunks, how much longer are you going to be here?"

"I'm not sure. I asked mo-err, Bulma if she had made any progress, but all she said that something was wrong with the engine and she is looking over the blueprints to find the problem. It could be awhile."

"Well, we can't ask her to do it if she's fixing the time machine."

"Her father could do it." The Saiyan prince offered. "We can use the gravity chamber as a space; he would just have to add on a stimulation device to alter the environment of the room."

"It would be like the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."

"But it's all in your head." Gohan mumbled. "Would this be worth it?"

"I have to do whatever it takes." Mirai said with resolution. "What if something else happens in my time? I need to be the most prepared that I can and if I can achieve that while I'm here, then I will do so."

"Then I will make my leave." Vegeta stood up, turning around to leave the room.

The two Saiyan hybrids remained seated as they sensed the older man shooting off into the sky, Gohan suddenly tapped on the table with a finger. "Trunks, there is one more thing that we should probably discuss before you go."

Mirai frowned, briefly wondering what else could be amiss. "Sure Gohan, what's up?"

"It's about Goten."

The time traveler blinked, clearly not expecting this. "I see. I just saw him yesterday… is he okay?"

The black-haired man waved a hand casually. "He's fine, being his usual teenager self. That aside, I noticed that Goten has taken a stronger liking towards you, although I'm not sure if it's because you identify our Trunks in appearance or if he likes the older, more mature person that you are…"

Mirai fidgeted in his seat, growing somewhat uneasy again. "Gohan, I feel like you're telling me not to date your brother…"

The older man chuckled. "Sorry, I did come off like that, huh?" He scratched the back of his head, expressing slight embarrassment. "Anyways, I wanted to explain that Goten has…" He stopped, briefly thinking of a more appropriate way to put it, "He has some attachment issues, as you can probably tell. Granted, being told your father was dead for seven years and then suddenly coming back… and then disappearing once again… it's obviously somewhat damaging to see. I was granted the opportunity to spend much quality time with my father, with him actually _being_ a father. However, for Goten… our father acted like a best friend, or even an older brother-type."

Mirai was silent, letting the words run through his head, aligning this with his conversation he had the day before. Also, he _completely_ understood the daddy issues.

"Our dad… it's not so much that he's selfish in the way he acts without considering other people's feelings, but because he just has unconditional love for everything and everyone. That's why we have struggled with a few villains in the past… like Frieza, for example."

He gave a small smirk to Mirai, who only blushed in return. He remembered his folly that day very clearly. He was under the impression that he was saving everyone, but in reality, Goku would have made it back in time to destroy Frieza before he did anything. Mirai's efforts were not only unnecessary, but almost detrimental.

To travel through time and interfere with past events, you are putting yourself on the line for the disastrous consequences for messing with fate.

Mirai knew this all too well.

"Anyways," Gohan continued, leaning back in his chair. "Goten goes into these modes where he will latch himself on to somebody, almost in an obsessive manner, and expect that person to be there at his side no matter what. Thank Kami that the Trunks of this time doesn't seem to mind it, but I'm concerned for you." The older, dark-haired man shifted his eyes to his purple-haired companion, who stared back with confusion. "I know Goten has been getting on your case about hanging out and well… just being together _a lot_."

The time traveler nodded, eyes straying down towards the coffee cup in hand. "He's… uh, pretty persistent."

"I'm worried though because I feel that I haven't done enough for him when he was younger. Of course, with my _issue_, as everyone likes to call it, I'm aware that I have disappeared a lot more than I should have…" He paused as the guilt started to swell inside of him. "I wasn't there for him like I should have been and I think he's suffering from this relentless fear of losing people.

"I also believe that is why he is rather hell-bent on fixing the relationship between you and Trunks."

Mirai flinched, anxious at the idea that more people are getting involved in his minor dispute.

"Don't worry, I know it's your problem and I won't interfere unless you ask." Gohan quickly added after taking in the younger man's reaction. "Either way though, Goten is a nice boy who wants everyone to get along, but at the same time, he's looking for someone to fill in this void he is feeling. Mother and I have tried our best to help him in any way we can but I think he's searching for someone else."

The purple-haired man understood what his friend was saying, but still wondered what the older warrior was implying his role to be.

The Son bit his bottom lip in apprehension. "This is purely speculation on my part but I think Goten is looking at you as this older, mature… almost like a fatherly figure. Trunks is his best friend and they will probably always be, but Goten doesn't see you as another Trunks. Well… most of us don't, really, should I need to clarify." The older man smiled softly. "The two of you are so different that it's actually fairly difficult to associate you two as the same physical being."

Mirai smiled back, grateful for the extra amplification. "If anything, I feel like I should be an older brother, rather than being a twin."

Gohan nodded, and then continued. "I'm just afraid that Goten might have these ideas in his head that you'll be around for longer than you actually intend to be. I think he wants you to be the guy to fill in this void, regardless of the fact that you are actually not from this time."

The time traveler frowned unhappily. "Should I… say something?"

"No… at least, not yet." Gohan frowned, eyebrows burrowing together to form a crease in the middle. "We never really brought it up before because we just assumed that he would eventually grow out of it." He raised a hand to run his fingers through his hair. "He's very fond of you. Every time I see him, every word that comes out of his mouth is about you. I've often wondered if it was some sort of infatuation."

Mirai blushed furiously, stuttering dismissal and 'impossible, it's not possible'. Shaking his head, he looked at his older companion more seriously. "I'll just keep my distance. In fact, I should have been doing that from the start. If anything, I probably have attachment issues as well…" He heaved, closing his eyes tightly. "It's… very hard to compare the two worlds."

"Of course." He replied solemnly. "This is not your fault at all, Trunks. Please don't ever think that."

"Gohan… I, uh…" Mirai swallowed, feeling his throat tighten. "I'm just very glad… that… everyone is safe. This world is safe. _You_ are safe." His hands now on his lap; he twisted his fingers into the fabric of his dark pants, taking a deep breath. "I'm glad that I was able to do something."

Gohan smiled. "It's all thanks to you, my dear friend. Despite what you think, you truly did save us all, Mr. Superhero." He placed his hand on top of the purple hair, gently ruffling it.

Mirai wasn't sure if his face could get any redder and was ready to fire back some denial statements, but his mind brushed them aside. "Gohan, thank you." Mirai said, smiling as he went to stand up. "You… thank you for taking the time to talk to us and…"

"Trunks, it's okay." Gohan reached over to grab his friend by the hand, clamping his other hand on top. "I'm here for you. I may not be the same master Gohan you had as a child, but if you ever need something, I'm here for you. Please don't hesitate to come to me about anything."

Mirai kept his smile. "I'll see you soon." With that, he walked out with a wave and then disappeared through the doorway.

The Son's smile became a little sad. "See you."

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Holy crap, that was the most comprehensive, technical chapter I've ever written. I deeply apologize if this bored anyone to death…. I will do my best to not make any more ridiculous explanation chapters like this again… _I think, _lol. Things should be getting better from the next chapter on, I will do my damnest to make it happen! Anyways, if there was any mistakes or things you thought didn't sound right, feel free to tell me so… if it's legitimate enough, I will make the changes.

Hope you enjoyed and **please leave a review! **


	15. Chapter 14

Sorry for the major delay and thanks for the reviews, guys. I'm gonna be honest that I was having a little trouble doing this because I'm getting busy in real life… so yeah. But no worries, I haven't given up… thank you kindly for the support. ^_^

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**Containing Thy Self**- Chapter 14

_**West City- Capsule Corps/Brief's Home- 1:02 PM**_

"C'mon Trunks!" The black-haired teenager whined, swinging his feet in the air as he sat on his friend's bed impatiently. "You told me to come over an hour ago. What's taking so long?"

The purple-haired boy of the duo stomped back into his room from the walk-in closet. "Man, shut up! I'm sorry I'm not ready yet but it's not like we're late for anything!" Turning around, he went to return back inside. "I'll be ready in five minutes, promise."

"You said that a half hour ago." Goten muttered. Despite their above-average hearing abilities, Trunks simply ignored him as he rummaged through the pile of clothes on his floor.

The younger boy glanced around the expansive bedroom, taking note of the clutter. He jumped up to his feet to peer at a group of framed pictures sitting on the writing desk, courtesy of Bulma who not only took most of the photographs, but also proclaimed that Trunks needed something more personalized to display. Her son didn't care either way, which is why pictures are still in the exact spot she first placed them.

They were snapshots of family and friends, ranging from when they themselves were seven and eight years old until sometime last year. The black-haired teenager smiled softly at the people in the images, but then suddenly noticed something.

"Hey Trunks!"

The summoned person stepped back out in the bedroom, finally appearing fully dressed and ready. "What is it?"

Goten picked up two particular pictures, turning around to face his friend. "Look at these pictures."

Taking one in each hand, Trunks glanced back and forth. They were photos of the two of them posing in a goofy fashion, one from around nine/ten years old and the other sixteen/seventeen years old. "Okay… what about them?"

"How come your hairstyle hasn't changed at all?"

Catching the pictures as he hastily dropped them out of astonishment, Trunks quickly placed them back in their original spots before returning his attention to his friend. "Excuse me? Did you really make me look at these pictures to ask about _my hair?_"

As his dark eyes shifted to the side and he shuffled his feet, Goten felt his body progressively tense up. "I don't mean it offensively, calm down. I'm just curious why you never grew it out or, uh, I dunno, spike it up or something."

The older teenager shrugged his shoulders, going to turn towards the door. "I dunno, just never felt like it." Suddenly, he paused in afterthought. "Wait a minute…" His head turned back to his friend. "Wait, are you asking me this because of the other guy?"

He blinked. "Wha-no, man! It's not because of the other Trunks, seriously." He pointed at the other pictures. "Look, everyone's hairstyle changed over the years, especially your mom's. See? Aside from going to a side part to a middle part, yours is the same."

Trunks' eyes narrowed. "The only reason you grew your hair out was so you didn't look like your dad."

"That's different!" The younger boy was getting miffed. "I probably would have grown it out anyways. That hairstyle is really annoying to deal with, especially when I'm walking around in small spaces and it pokes everyone in the face. At least now I can pull it back."

"And mine is perfectly convenient and easy to deal with it." Trunks crossed his arms with a smirk forming. "Besides, you constantly whine about how long I take to get ready. Imagine how much longer I would take if I had to fuss over my hair as well."

Goten snorted. "Right, right." He snuck another glance at his friend. "You would look kind of cool with long hair though."

The purple-haired teenager was silent for a moment, staring at the wall and then finally spoke quietly. "I would look like the other one."

The black-haired boy sighed, shaking his head. "Why do you hate him so much, Trunks? I get that you have these childhood issues and all, but I thought you grew out of it!"

"You know what, Goten? You're the one who's obsessed with him!" Trunks shouted, whirling onto his friend and jabbed him in the chest with a finger. "Sure, maybe I have a few problems that I can't get over, but those are personal and you damn well know that! However, everything that's been coming out of your mouth is about him! When did you plan on telling me that you're gonna replace me with him, huh?"

"What?" He was flabbergasted. "What are you talking about? We've been best friends all our lives; what makes you think that I would just up and dump you for another friend, Trunks?"

"Since a better Trunks came along!"

Both teenagers were standing straight, fists clenched, and breathing heavily, all while glaring at each other. Neither said anything for quite some time, both unwilling to back down before the other. The following silence was almost ominous.

"Maybe we shouldn't hang out today." Trunks muttered after a few minutes, taking a seat on top of his bed. "We'll just… take a break or something."

Goten nodded. "I agree." He walked towards the door, waiting for the _whoosh_ and paused right at the entrance. "I'll give you a call tomorrow though."

"Okay." Hearing the door shut and sensing the younger boy gradually disappearing down the hall, Trunks fell back against his bed, groaning out loud. Why does it seem like it things are getting progressively worse, despite what he tried to do to make amends?

_**Down the hall- 1:34 PM**_

"_Vegeta!" Mirai called out, seeing the older Saiyan outside the Brief's home as he made his return from Son Gohan's place. Slowing down in the air, he landed softly against the beautifully manicured lawn, keeping a few feet space between the two out of respect as well as discomfort. The prince paused in his tracks, turning his body slightly towards the younger man, waiting for him to continue. _

"_I, uh, wanted to know if you had said anything yet." The time traveler questioned hesitantly, fully understanding that his question could come off as an insult that implied that Vegeta would not stay true to his words. "What I mean is if you were on your way to do so, I would come with."_

_His dark eyes narrowed, but the older man brushed aside the comment. "I have already spoken to Bulma about the matter and she will talk to her father." He turned himself fully around so that his back was facing the purple-haired man. "Perhaps if you didn't waste your time with small talk, you wouldn't need to question my capabilities."_

_Mirai scowled as he watched the man he was supposed to call his father walk away._

Leaning back against the soft cushion of the overly spacious couch, his cobalt blue eyes never strayed away from the wall straight ahead as his mind replayed the memory. He wondered, once more, if he could ever earn any shred of respect from the older man. He knew that Vegeta had soften some over the years, not that he would ever dare to speak this out loud, but Mirai seems to be losing even more so this time around.

Frowning, his mind flickered over to the Son family, briefly running through the information he had mentally stored in regards to them. Gohan seems to be suffering, but at the same time, he is convinced in his capabilities to deal with the pain. Goten, on the other hand, appears to be disregarding any negative notions altogether, using his time and attention to focus on happier things, regardless of as obsessive as they may appear.

And what of the Trunks of this time? Leaning his head back, the time traveler let out a deep breath, willing his migraine to go away. Is he really any better off than anybody of this time? In fact, it seems that his accidental arrival has possibly worsened the state of affairs. Or is it more that the circumstances were already dire and Mirai's entrance just simply broke open the cracking dam?

Lightly padded footsteps came up slowly from behind. "Hey Trunks."

His eyes were closed but his superior senses alerted him of the boy's approaching presence long before he spoke. "Hello Son Goten." He folded his hands together on top of his stomach, waiting for the younger one to seat himself on the couch as he felt the cushion sinking.

"Are… are you okay?" Mirai opened his eyes to look over at the dark-haired boy, noticing his worried look. Goten squirmed uncomfortably under the stare, shifting his own gaze to the carpeted floor. "I mean, you look kind of down in the dumps by yourself here."

The older man smirked. "You don't look too great yourself, I must admit."

The teenager tried to crack some kind of grin, but when failing to do so, he sighed. "I guess it's just one of those days for everyone." He propped up one elbow on the arm of the couch, leaning his head against his open hand. "Or maybe it's been building up and now it's falling apart."

Mirai blinked, sitting up straight and focusing his attention fully on the boy. Saiyans surely don't have mind reading abilities, right? "What makes you say that?" He questioned, curious to see if Goten had the same line of thoughts he was having earlier.

"Well, I guess things that weren't discussed before are being brought up now and it's… well, it's necessary in a way but... I don't know." Goten scratched the back of his head. "Like the thing with my brother… we didn't really _talk_ about it before. We just let it happen. Now that more people know and asked about it, I wonder if Gohan is really okay with it."

Mirai nodded. "It was very obvious in conversation that he is not comfortable with discussing any issues that regards Saiyan abilities. Since you took the time to explain the situation beforehand, I didn't feel the need to question it to him directly; however, he did express a sense of grief. I feel that now with a wife and child, his more frequent disappearances will become emotional straining to not only himself, but his family as a whole."

"It's just stupid, is what it is." Goten cut in sharply, disgust forming in his features. "He's so hell-bent on not fighting, which would be fine and dandy, if he would just get it in his head that he's tormenting everyone else! You would think that a _scholar_ of all people would get it, but Gohan's just book-smart. He's so oblivious to reality half the time, just like our father, except when _evil_ makes its appearance." He made quoting signs for _evil_ in a mocking sense. "Don't get me wrong, he's not that naïve or innocent, but he does have his moments."

"I understand." Mirai said. "I do, but at the same time, Gohan is an adult and he will do as he pleases. I don't plan on taking any initiatives in changing his mind." He closed his eyes, and then quickly reopened them, facing towards the younger boy once more. "Don't misunderstand. It's not that I don't care to help your brother, but I don't have the time to spend doing so." His eyes narrowed. "You know this, Goten. You are aware that my time here is limited, correct?"

"You already said it. You said you shouldn't be here. I get it." His tone was clipped but Mirai had a suspicious feeling that Goten, despite what Gohan thinks, was more aware of the circumstances than he was willing to let on. In fact, he might be the one who has the most accurate interpretation, simply because he is the one paying the closest attention.

Mirai felt guilt. He liked the boy; the young Son was kind and caring. He took the time to listen and the time to offer help. He liked the fact that he was open-minded and that he understood countless things that many would typically disregard. He liked the fact that Goten was comfortable with who he was. Mirai also realized that he felt bit of jealously of the younger Trunks to have a close friend like Goten.

"This is a wonderful time." The time traveler spoke slowly, trying to hold back his envy. "It is truly an era of peace. Since there is no destruction or evil interrupting your lives, you are now more aware of the emotional toll that the past has taken on your family and friends. You are more conscious of factors that previously seemed so minor, but now appear so disturbing. Instead of being worried about surviving to see the next dawn, you are concerned whether your father cares for you as much as someone else or that your best friend might disagree in simple arguments."

Goten was quiet for a moment and then smirked. "We're all pretty fucked up, huh?"

"I guess that's one way to look at it." The purple-haired man stood up, making the motion of brushing off non-existent dirt on his pants. "My apologies Goten, but I must go speak with Bulma. There are too many things I need to know, even though I don't know if I will receive the answers or possibly like what I will hear."

"I understand." The younger boy stood up too, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets. "It seems like everyone needs a day to themselves, ya know? Anyways, I'll catch you later then." Making a slight wave, the boy quickly left, leaving the older man behind in concern.

_**Capsule Corps- Trunks' Bedroom- 2:01 PM**_

Trunks stared at the pictures with a heated glare. What was Goten thinking, asking him such absurd questions about his hair of all things? Then again, was Goten really asking in reference to the other Trunks or was it simply an innocent question? In any other circumstances, Trunks would reconsider the argument and call Goten to talk it over, saying that it was a mistake and that he overreacted. This time, however, Trunks just wasn't so sure what the proper reaction would be. Hell, he didn't even know if anything that has happened in the past few days would qualify as proper behavior.

Sighing, he took a seat on his bed, running his hands through his short locks. He paused though, grabbing a few strands between his fingers to inspect the ends. Maybe he could stand to grow it out a little, although probably not as long as the other Trunks. The older man seems to be unintentionally going for the older, combat look, but Trunks just wants to look mature and stylish.

Maybe this is a really ridiculous line of thought.

He kicked a book that was lying on the floor, accidentally shooting it through the opposing wall and creating a small hole. The teenager gasped, swishing his head at the door with the fear of his mother suddenly appearing to yell, but managed to calm himself after a few moments. He muttered a few curses to himself as he quickly made his way out of the room.

_**Capsule Corps- Main Laboratory- 2:53 PM**_

Pausing at the door, Mirai looked up at the glaring yellow-and-black 'RESTRICTED ACCESS' sign above and bit his bottom lip. He lifted a hand to press a button on the side panel, which gave off a loud buzzing sound, and then a woman's voice came on.

"_What is it?"_

"Uh…" He hesitated at the harshness in her tone, wondering if maybe it was a bad time. "Mot-er, Bulma? I'm sorry, are you busy right now?"

"Oh Trunks, is that you? Just a minute, I'll let you in."

A beep rang out and the door slid open soundlessly. His eyes darted around the entrance, spotting a long, glaringly bright white hallway. The time warrior cringed at the brilliance, slowly walking down the walkway towards the equally intense-looking door ahead. Mirai briefly speculated why Bulma or perhaps Dr. Briefs didn't try making the place a little less stressing on the eyes and mind.

Suddenly, the door slid open before he reached it, Bulma's abrupt physical appearance causing Mirai to jump a little (the bright white walls are apparently getting to his senses). "Trunks, hey! Come on it and see what's happening in the lab!"

He smiled. "Hello Bulma. I hope I'm not interrupting anything significant."

She waved a waved unflappably. "Don't be silly, my sons are allowed here. Vegeta is not because he'll just scoff at everything and be annoying about it. Bulla is obviously too young to be around the equipment and such." She turned face the purple-haired man fully. "Ah, Trunks, have I ever told you how handsome you are? It's good to know that Vegeta was able to do something right!"

Mirai blushed as the older woman laughed boisterously. "I think you might have mentioned it before. Anyways, I suppose you know why I'm here."

"Oh, yes, yes!" She motioned him to follow her back further in the large lab. "Don't you worry, I've been working plenty hard on your time machine and I should be done with the engine situation in a day or so, promise!"

"Well, that's good to hear then." He picked up a random gadget lying on a nearby table, turning in slowly with his fingers. "Then when that is finished, all we have to do is charge it, correct?"

"Mmhmm." She reached over to snatch the gadget out of his curious fingers, causing the time traveler to pout. "To answer your other question, I have spoken with Vegeta."

"Ah." He raised his eyebrows hopefully, only to receive a frown in response.

"Trunks, do you really think this is a good idea?"

He probably should have expected this, but he didn't really have a proper answer to explain to someone of a non-Saiyan heritage. "Well… yes, I do. It was discussed between myself, Vegeta, and Gohan and this was part of our conclusion."

She took a deep breath while crossing her arms over her chest. "I know you Saiyan boys have this battle mentality , I get it really, but you want a room that creates a realistic holographic world so you can have some sort of traumatic experience just to advance a, what did you call it, second level?"

It does sound a little ridiculous, he had to admit. In fact, the whole conversation at the Son home would sound absurd to any normal human being. He paused in thought and then spoke carefully. "I understand your view, but it's excruciatingly important that if this could be considered."

She lifted one hand to rub at the stress lines forming on her forehead with an exasperated expression on her face. "All right, fine, I won't question it anymore. I'll talk to my father and we'll see what we can do. If you don't mind waiting a little longer, we can probably whip something out in the next week."

"That's great!" Mirai took a couple steps forward and placed his hands on her shoulders, a smile forming. "Thank you, I really appreciate you taking the time to do this."

Bulma was trying to hold back her grin, but failed to do so. "Well, you certainly know how much I love being thanked and praised, since I don't have very many other sources." She swatted a hand at him. "However, listen to me, Trunks. I don't want anyone else using this thing. We'll make it detachable device so you can take it with you if you want. You know, if your Bulma has made a gravity chamber, you can attach it to that with some minor alterations. However, I don't want Vegeta, the other Trunks, Goten, or anybody else using this."

He nodded, although his expression was questioning. "Okay, I'll keep it on me. Can I ask why?"

"It's not necessary for them. At this time, we don't need such a device but I'm willing to make it for you to use and take with you for your time because of your situation."

"I understand."

"Good." She placed her hands on her hips, a smirk gracing her lips. "Now scamper out of here so the genius can work her magic."

He chuckled and made a false salute. "Aye, aye. I'll talk to you later then."

_**Brief's Home- 5:13 PM**_

Walking down the empty hallway, Mirai stopped in the kitchen to put away a few things he bought from the nearby store. He wasn't sure how they managed their shopping here since they have extra hired help around the house, but he figured he would make himself a little more useful. As he placed the items in the cupboard, he listened to the television playing at a loud volume in the next room. He frowned, sensing Trunks alone and wondered if the boy was moping.

Considering the fact that they haven't spoken since the last fight, Mirai felt himself becoming immensely annoyed. The teenager might have gotten one over him but it didn't necessarily mean he was completely right. While he was correct in the sense that Mirai's arrival did create opportunistic changes, there is such a thing as self-control.

'_A god, my ass.'_ He thought briefly.

With his senses on high alert, his body tensed up as he noticed Trunks has appeared at the doorway of the kitchen, despite Mirai having his back facing him. The time traveler let loose a soft sigh, placing the last item he had on hand into the cupboard, before finally turning around. He kept his expression neutral as he glanced at Trunks with an almost exasperated look. "Can I help you?"

The purple-haired teenager was leaning casually against the door frame, arms crossed loosely over his chest. His expression was unbiased as well, but his eyes were considerably darkened. Mirai speculated if the boy was going to speak any time soon or just keep staring because it was getting a little unnerving. Figuring he might as well make himself comfortable, he walked over to the table and took a seat. Trunks never took his eyes off of him.

The older man spoke up once more. "You want to take a seat? I'm not sure what your aim is going to be here, but if you're going for a long one, you could sit down."

The teenager paused for a moment, before following the suggestion, placing himself directly across Mirai. He placed one arm on top of the table, the other on his lap, and started tapping his fingers in a drumming motion. "Goten and I got into a fight this morning."

Mirai felt his eyebrows rise slightly. "Is that right?"

"It was about hair."

The older man stared. What was he supposed to say in response to that?

Trunks raised a hand to point at his head. "My hair, more specifically."

"…. Okay."

Placing his hand back down on the table, the teenager formed a nice smirk across his lips. "Goten would like me to look like you."

Now that was a little weird. Mirai didn't know exactly how much truth was in that statement, knowing that Trunks has the tendency to exaggerate. Then again, he isn't much of a liar either, so something had to have been said by the younger Son to come to this conclusion. Certainly, it was most likely that Trunks derived it from an implication. However, no matter how the idea came about, the final thought is still a little much. "The two of you got into an argument over you possibly growing out your hair to look more like myself? You guys really had nothing else to fight over?"

Trunks laughed out loud, although it wasn't an enjoyable sound. Mirai could still sense the underlying travesty that the boy was keeping down. The teenager calmed down after a minute or so, his snarky grin still in place. "Well, Goten is definitely fixated on you. Maybe we fought because he is becoming more aware that you'll be gone sooner or later, so why not fix up the counter-part to at least look more similar, ya know?"

The time traveler sighed, his patience reaching its limits already. "Look, I get you. Goten, Gohan, myself, and hell, just about every other person we know have problems but what do you expect me to do about it?" Mirai folded his hands on top of the table. "Would you like me to be a superhero again, Trunks?"

Clearly, this wasn't the response he was reaching for. The young teenager's face twisted into fury as he quickly stood to his feet and slammed his hands on top of the table. The floor cracked under the bottoms of the table legs, which both men ignored through distraction. "You're such an arrogant piece of shit!"

Mirai stood to his feet as well, although in a considerably calmer manner. "You're the one who can't get the fuck over himself."

Trunks bristled even more so. "How dare you! You can't get over your past!"

"_No!_" Mirai reached forward and grabbed the teenager by the shirt. "This isn't about me, Trunks! This was never about me, my past, my life, nothing! From the start, this whole bullshit fight has been about you and your inability to get over your hate for yourself! You keep saying that you want everyone to accept you as you are. You're fully aware that you're a fucking spoiled brat who gets whatever he wants and that your pride is as high as the sky, but you know what the problem is?"

Trunks stared at him uneasily.

Mirai released his grip, placing both hands flat on the table as he remained standing. "You can't accept it yourself. Ever since you've been met me, you hated everything that you are. You lived your young life living however you wanted to be but since that 'ideal image' was always in the back of your head, my arrival triggered that image; now, you can't accept the fact that you failed to become what you have always dreamed of being."

The teenager felt his eyes widening and his hands starting to tremble.

"You realized that there was a difference from the start. When you were young and achieved Super Saiyan, it was fantastic. You were strong and powerful. You were achieving what you had always leaned for. But after some time, you realized that something was different. Why couldn't you get stronger? Why did Vegeta look at you so strangely? What was different?"

He shook his head, wanting to deny it all. There was no way any of this was true.

"You knew at some point down the line that your childhood dream was not going to be realized. You couldn't understand what it was, but something was different. So you stopped trying. You stopped training, gotten lazy, allowed your personality to morph into arrogance. You gave it all up and hid it behind your new image. An image of someone who didn't need to be strong because he was good enough as he was. He didn't need to be heroic because it was a time of peace, so what was the point?"

Mirai stepped back from the table to come around the side, closer to the younger boy. Trunks was visibly shaking by this point, as he tried to place his hands together in his lap to get himself to calm down.

"It would be fine. It would be acceptable. In fact, everyone took it in stride because they figured, 'Oh, Trunks is just being a typical rich kid'." The older man stood next to the seated teenager, raising a hand to place it on top of Trunks' head. "But you couldn't accept it."

Trunks gasped for a breath that he was apparently holding; scrunching his eyes shut tightly as if he was mentally willing everything to just disappear.

If Mirai would just stop.

Stop talking.

Stop trying to make him admit what he tried so hard, for so long, to bury in the far recess of his mind.

Mirai kept his concentrated gaze on his younger counter-part, his hand lightly brushed against the silky purple strands. "Trunks…"

Suddenly, bright blue eyes appeared, full of misery and anguish as the teenager stared up at him. "I wanted to be you! When things started changing and I couldn't overcome it, I just gave up. When I saw the real you and realized what a failure I was, I couldn't stand it anymore!" He lifted his hands up, mashing his palms against his eyes in pure frustration. He felt himself slowly becoming more hysterical as his body starting trembling more. "I was becoming this piece of shit rich kid when I wanted to be someone that was respected by everyone. Someone who people would cherish as a hero, a being that can save the world. But since I found it useless, I used money to make myself known. But it's sickening."

Mirai gently ran his fingers through the boy's hair in a soothing manner, but Trunks paid no heed to the attempts.

"It's disgusting how money came make yourself so well-known for all the wrong reasons. I can buy any material item I desire and I can make myself look however I want to be. But it's not what I want. What I want is something money can't possibly acquire." Trunks couldn't stop shaking; his breathing was becoming increasingly erratic. "You're everything I wanted and couldn't be. I hated you and myself for it. I hated it so much."

"Trunks…"

_**Brief's Home- Living Room- 6:49 PM**_

They were seated on the couch, next to each other but still with enough space in terms of personal space comfort. Trunks still had a bit of a vacant stare, his eyes pointed downward as Mirai stared straight ahead out the large window. Neither male has moved for the past few minutes.

"Now what?" Trunks mumbled.

Mirai turned his head towards the younger one. "Forgive and forget?"

Trunks shook his head. "I can never forget. I can't believe you just tore me apart like that."

"Well..." Mirai had a bit of an inquisitive look. "Let's be honest, you've been trying to do it to me first."

"I guess." The teenager sighed, fidgeting his hands. "I still think you're a moody asshole."

"And I still think you're an arrogant, spoiled brat."

They sat in silence, letting the time slowly pass by.

* * *

And that's that chapter. Hope all of you enjoyed. Well, the fight between Trunks and Mirai is more or less at an end, but that doesn't mean there aren't more emotional trauma and issues to resolve, haha.

Please leave a **NICE, LOVELY REVIEW TO MOTIVATE ME TO CONTINUE!** ^_^


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